Republic Twilight
by WildKnght7
Summary: AU to replace AOTC. 13 years after TPM the Jedi struggle to hold a failing Republic together, while their brightest hope, Anakin Skywalker, begins to crack from the choices he makes. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Dedication: Bethany - fifteen years (I've lost count) of friendship later, here we are with too many Star Wars jokes to count, way too much money spent on seeing the movies and too many posters and trinkets. Thanks for helping out with so many little things, and putting up with knowing more about this than you wanted before you read it. And, a special note of thanks must go out to my friend Steve - who devoted too many hours the weekend before finals helping me plan out the details of the final battle. Without his help, it definitely would have turned into a starfighter circus.

Note: The following story is concordant with Expanded Universe books except for the following: SW: EII: AOTC, all Clone Wars books, _Tatooine Ghost, Survivor's Quest,_ and the _Dark Nest _Trilogy. Also, I own squat of anything having to do with LucasFilm, LucasBooks, Skywalker Ranch, 20th Century Fox, Del Rey, Bantam Books and...well, you get the idea. 

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

STAR WARS

EPISODE II:

REPUBLIC TWILIGHT

For a thousand generations, the Galactic Republic thrived. Peace and justice ruled, secured by an ancient order that swore to protect the Republic – the Jedi Knights. The Naboo crisis, thirteen years ago, was the closest thing to war the galaxy had seen in all this time.

But war has come. Under the dictates of a mysterious leader, a section of the Republic has seceded. Forces work within the Republic to destroy it, while the clone armies of the Separatists have harassed it from the outside. Three years now the galaxy has now been at war with itself. The Jedi Knights gallantly defend the systems of the Republic, but the battlefronts have grown so numerous they cannot protect them all from the Separatist armies.

The small planet of Naboo has become one of these unfortunate systems. The Separatists now hold the Queen and her family captive. Hope for help from the Republic, and the Jedi who saved them once before, grows slimmer each day…

Negotiations

1

"Come on, get a move on! What do you think you're doing? MOVE!" the guard shouted. He gestured wildly with his blaster. If these people didn't move any quicker he was going to shoot them right here, right now.

"Karlon, what in the Gods do you think you're doing? Stop waving your blaster around like that!" Another guard yelled at him, this one female. To herself, she muttered, "You're gonna shoot your own blasted head off."

"Ah, I don't care! They'd better know what's comin' to them! Been sitting in the lap of luxury too long – they deserve to be scared!" Karlon leered at the youngest in the group. She shrank back away from him, and he waved his blaster at her.

A hand reached out to the little girl, resting on her shoulder; its owner glared at Karlon, daring him to make the move he so obviously desired to carry out.

The guard let out a slight growl and looked away from the girl, muttering under his breath.

"Padmé? Are we really going to be ok?" the younger girl asked, looking up at the woman standing behind her.

"Talié, don't you worry. I promise you, we'll be fine. They are just moving us to another place to live, that's all. It's going to be nice there, you'll see," Padmé told her younger sister. Talié smiled up at her.

In truth, Padmé only wished she could share the girl's bliss. She was well educated – she knew what happened when people in power were moved from place to place, humiliated all the while, simply because of what they believed in..

"Padmé, your hair looks different," Talié said as she pointed to the Queen's shortened locks, breaking her sister's concentration.

After a month and a half away from what the mono-faced Separatists called the 'life of luxury,' Padmé had gotten fed up with it and shortened it so it could be pulled back into a single, short braid.

"What?"

"Your hair. It's different. The color's changed."

"My dear Talié, you must be confused. You know my hair just doesn't change colors like a chamelicks' hide! Now, why don't you go walk by Mother?" Padmé watched over her shoulder as the girl swiftly wandered back to her parents.

She sighed.

Her little sister was so cute, growing up so fast. Talié was just about the age when she herself had ascended the throne. Thinking back, Padmé wondered how she had managed to hold together her people so well when she was so young. Now, being older and more experienced, she was being forced to march through the woods and marshes.

Padmé Amidala didn't care what happened to her. For now she was content that she never had to lay eyes on that disgusting pig of a Neimoidian, Nute Gunray, again. He tried once to take over Naboo and failed. He returned, and Padmé knew with his first transmission, declaring invasion, that the battle thirteen years ago only delayed the inevitable. This time, he had a living army and that just unnerved her, they all looked alike with the same creepy, half-alive look in their eyes…

"HALT!" Karlon shouted, startling a group of birds nesting in a nearby tree which took off with a flurry of squawking.

The royal family stopped its march and the rebel guards moved to face them. The Queen looked down the line of people, past her sister, her mother and father, to her advisors and handmaidens. All were known Loyalists to the Republic.

"Well, well, my little Loyalists. The day has come, Naboo finally becomes a true member of our little Federation!" Karlon was a man of few words, and when he was done he raised his blaster. In unison, the other guards followed suit.

On Karlon's count of three, blaster fire filled the air. Padmé didn't hear him; she wasn't even really seeing the laser blasts. She stood stoically, waiting.

_So this is what it comes to…well, let it be…_she thought.

A blinding white burst of pain flashed through her mind when one of the laser bolts hit her. Determined not to cry out, she fell to the ground. Breathing became increasingly difficult, black spots started to cloud her vision. Neurons fired in her brain, conjuring up random memories. A small boy…about ten years old and smiling with bright blue eyes…

Those blue eyes…

_Anakin Skywalker…_

Padmé did not even realize she thought the name, for that was when everything stopped.

* * *

Across the galaxy, Anakin Skywalker jolted out of his concentration. His blue eyes darted around the room, startled.

Someone just called his name.

Realizing that no one had in fact called his name he shook his head. Still holding onto his lightsaber, he reached up and wiped his brow. Just across from him, Obi-Wan Kenobi watched him.

"Anakin, are you alright?"

"Sorry, Master…I just felt something, through the Force." Anakin took another cursory glance around the room, unable to shake the feeling that someone was trying to reach out to him.

"A disturbance?"

"Not exactly…it was like a whisper, a shadow of something. I thought at first that you were calling to me." Anakin scrunched his eyebrows, thinking. He shrugged and raised his lightsaber once more.

Obi-Wan, however, shut his off and walked over to the water dispenser on the other side of the circular room. As he walked, he said, "I don't like this…this is the second time in the past couple months. Perhaps you've had enough for today? I know I sure have, you've beaten the stuffing out of me!"

As he gulped down a healthy dose of water, he looked back at Anakin. The young man still stood in the center of the room, and Obi-Wan knew he was still troubled.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off, go and hang out with your friends, and leave your poor old master alone to heal his aching joints?"

Anakin shrugged, smiling. He would rather stay in the practice room, honing his skills. Obi-Wan was a good match, and he knew his master was just kidding him. Plus, 'friends' applied loosely to his fellow young Jedi. Arriving late at the Temple, Anakin was not widely accepted. The rumors that he was to be the Chosen One spread rapidly, immediately setting him apart. His fellow students privately cast him out, shunning him behind the Masters' backs. As he grew older, and the bond between him and Obi-Wan increased, the other Padawans became more jealous.

Obi-Wan and Anakin were the perfect pair, and even more rumors ran rampant about how they were invincible. Adding to their mysticism was the fact that the Chosen One was paired with a master who nearly did not become a Knight himself. It was the perfect poetic justice.

"Master, please?" Anakin gave his master a pleading face and twirled his lightsaber.

"And how fare you today, young Obi-Wan and young Anakin?" Mace Windu asked as he stepped into the room. Both Jedi turned to face him.

"Absolutely brilliant." Anakin had a sense of humor that sometimes ragged on the older Masters, but not today. Mace smiled.

"My Padawan insists on practicing with his master, even when I am getting old and feeble," Obi-Wan replied, teasing Anakin.

"I came here to inform you, Obi-Wan, that Master Yoda requires your presence. He has a matter most urgent he must speak to you about. If your apprentice would wish, I will remain and see whether his skills with the lightsaber are what the other students claim them to be."

Mace looked to Anakin, his right hand near his lightsaber.

"I would be honored, Master Windu," Anakin said. He brought his saber up to the ready position, and quickly glanced at Obi-Wan. With a nod to Anakin, Obi-Wan stepped out of the room to let boy and Jedi Master duel.

Mace and Anakin circled each other. Mace was cool and calculating, watching the younger Jedi closely. Without another thought, Mace made the first attack, swinging low. Anakin moved up to block, forcing Mace to come out of his attack high.

Instnatly, Anakin made a light attack, and Mace blocked it easily. Attack, block, attack, block. The pattern repeated itself over and over… Anakin nor Mace grew tired, each of them drawing more and more on the Force. Mace's face was expressionless as he gave himself into the fight and sank into Vapaad. Anakin predicted more of the Master's moves and parried to block a strong attack. The block swung Anakin around, giving him the perfect opening, and he took it. Just as his lightsaber would have found its way into Mace's chest, he switched it off.

"Congratulations, it seems you are the swordsman your master makes you out to be. I haven't had a good practice like that for quite some time," Mace complimented. He tucked his lightsaber away and clipped it onto his belt.

"Thank you, Master." Anakin took a deep bow. He struggled not to smile.

For a second more, Mace studied him. One of his hands rested on his hip, and Anakin could see he was thinking something over. The Master broke the silence, speaking again.

"Another thing, young Anakin."

It was not a question.

"Yes, Master?" Anakin replied, not sure where Mace wanted to go with this. He winced slightly, sure that some lecture about how something slight he did during the duel was unbecoming of a Jedi. It was the most common thing he heard – he was too fast, too forceful…

"Your reserve in attack is not something commonly found in Jedi your age…Too much these days the Jedi are getting reckless, arrogant. You have a good heart, a good mind…you serve to the best you can, and resort to harsh measures only if necessary. May we hope to have more Jedi like you in the future."

Anakin blushed with the Master's compliments; caught off guard, his jaw dropped slightly and he forced himself to keep it shut. Of all the Masters, Mace was the hardest one to get positive recognition from – next to Yoda, of course. He mumbled another thank you and bowed. Mace smiled, and turned to leave.

* * *

Obi-Wan made his way through the Temple, taking the turbolift up to Yoda's meditation chamber. He knocked quietly three times on the door, waiting.

"Enter, you may," Yoda said quietly from within. Obi-Wan opened the door and stepped in, taking a seat on one of the round cushions next to Yoda.

"You wished to speak to me, Master Yoda?"

"I did, yes." Yoda nodded, and slowly blinked. He looked out the window then back at Obi-Wan.

"Each day, more refugees there are. Unorganized, unsure they are; homes and jobs they need. A good job for you and your Padawan, to help them."

"A better job for my apprentice than me, Master," Obi-Wan replied.

Yoda regarded him. He took a breath, then said, "Perhaps some truth you speak. Headstrong your apprentice is…but perhaps not so unlike yourself is he."

Obi-Wan nodded slightly. Both of them did have the same fault…

"Still, good work for both of you it will be. Tame you both, we shall."

Obi-Wan blushed slightly at the little green being's words. Yoda was right; he still had a wild streak in him. What Qui-Gon had not been able to tame was amplified by Anakin. Despite his will to bring justice to the causes he threw himself into, Anakin still had a habit of being headstrong and rushing things. Even Obi-Wan had a hard time not catching his youthful exuberance.

Anakin's thoughts still wandered back to his mother on occasion, but he never let them get in the way of his responsibilities. The memory of slavery made him all the more devoted to releasing those in bondage.

Yoda closed his eyes, sinking back into the Force. Obi-Wan took the hint, and followed with him. Opening himself up, he could sense the happenings in the Temple: a student down in the library getting frustrated, and even a slight sense of pride coming from his apprentice.

Outside the Temple, life bustled in the monstrous city, people worrying over jobs, money, children. Suddenly, as he expanded beyond Coruscant, a throng of wrong hit Obi-Wan. He pushed towards the feeling. It wasn't dark, yet it wasn't light. It was life that resonated wrongly in the Force, hard to understand.

This life was tampered with, altered and unnatural. And it was increasing, by the hundreds.

Clones.

All too familiar, over the past three years, their resonance in the Force had become. Jedi did not have to look at a clone to know it was one.

"But, Master, if they are life and all life is the Force, then how are they so wrong?"

"True, life they are. Twisted life, engineered life, unnatural they are; and natural the Force is. Created not by life and not by the Force and so upset the balance they will. Forever upset the meaning of life, upset the meaning of the Force. Bring neither good nor evil they will, but wrong they will end up doing."

"So they are evil, then."

"No, young Obi-Wan. Not evil. Difference between evil and wrong you must learn. All evil is wrong, but not all wrong _is_evil. Poor choice is wrong. Wrong is mistake, mistake that may end in disaster from poor choice. In poor choice, no intent of doing evil is there. Evil is doing wrong with intent; intent of harm, intent of death and suffering. Through not knowing evil or good, greater wrong you can do."

"I see." Obi-Wan nodded. He mulled the Jedi Master's words over in his head. "So if the Cloners and their clones are doing wrong by cloning, they may end up in doing evil in time, wrong turning into evil. Then how do you stop them? Violence cannot be used, but it seems to be the answer the Republic has chosen."

Yoda looked at him, and nodded slowly. He blinked then smiled. Obi-Wan sighed, he wasn't sure what exactly Yoda was trying to convey. He got the feeling that Yoda was possibly attempting to tell him to be patient, to wait. Sensing that Yoda was going to say no more, Obi-Wan got to his feet. Behind him the old Jedi sank back into meditation.

"Well, I suppose it's off to find Anakin and learn when the next refugee ship comes in…" he said to himself once he was outside the room, making his way to where he had last left his apprentice.

* * *

_Splish, splush, splish. _

Water.

Close.

Life.

She cracked her eyes open, blinking in the stinging light.

Water.

She had to get to water…water was help. Her eyes closed again, she sank back into the darkness.

Later, the water woke her again. The sun wasn't so bright now – it was starting to set. Slowly, afraid to move too much, she looked around her. Blood was everywhere – on the ground and her, coating her clothes. She could hear the water more clearly now, her senses were slowing coming back. Gradually she eased herself up.

The blood ran everywhere, and with the sight of it her memory came back. She recalled the blaster bolts, then the darkness. Closing her eyes tight, she made herself stop moving. She willed the ground to stop moving.

But water, she had to get water. Her arm burned where a blaster bolt had grazed it, and as she moved pain flared in her leg from another near hit. Painfully she crawled like a wounded womp rat towards the sound of the water. The effort made it so her brain was only aware of the intense pain in her arm. She struggled on, trying not to think of what had happened to her.

Poor Talié…poor Sabé, they had gotten hit first…

The sun was almost down now, and she felt like she had been crawling for days. Just then, she could make out the sight of the giant lake before her. The lapping of the water was louder now and she made on final push to reach it –

Her strength failed. The darkness came to take her again, and she let it.

* * *

Something poked her. And again. She struggled to open her eyes, and looked up. Floppy ears…a long face stared down at her.

"Ca..Captain…"

"Misa lady? Yousa injured, wesa here to help," General Tarpals said. "Gungans helpsa old friends in need."

The Gungan smiled at her, she looked into his eyes. He knew who she was, but his words told her not to confirm it. All the better for her sake…if they found out she was still alive…

Tarpals looked up and motioned to one of his men. He brought over an oblong bubble and opened up one side of it.

"Misa lady ride in thisa on the way to the city, she wilsa be safe from the water," Tarpals told her. He helped her climb into it. Once inside, she settled down and faded out once more.

Fish.

They were all she could see. She shifted her gaze, and a Gungan was standing over her. It wasn't Tarpals.

"Boss Teers…" she whispered faintly.

"Yousa in the Gungan hospital, misa lady. Tis a safe place. We be given you aide, yousa be healthy soon. Tis also a private place," Boss Teers said the last part under his breath.

"The Queen of the Naboo always try to help us…wesa help her when shesa needs it. General Tarpals wilsa help yousa get off the planet. Till then yousa stay here, yousa rest and be welcome. Perhaps…yousa choose a different name…"

Padmé nodded. With the Gungan leader's promise to help her get off planet, she was content. She hoped there might be some way she could get to Coruscant and petition for the aide of Chancellor Palpatine. Once he helped her save Naboo, surely he would do so again. He would know how to help the misplaced Queen regain control of her planet – not to mention Palpatine was her boss of sorts, being the Chancellor of the Republic. It only helped he was also from Naboo.

Over the next few days, Padmé spent her time talking with Boss Teers on how to deal with the invaders and their strong anti-Gungan sentiments. She also made better friends with Tarpals, who was allowed to know her true identity. She was friendly and talkative to the other Gungans, but she never volunteered information on what happened that day. Dealing with the thought that she failed her people rested hard on her, and she couldn't bring herself to face what happened to her family.

On the third day, a man working with the underground to overthrow the Separatists came down to Otoh Gunga. He was one of the few contacts Boss Teers and the Gungans had to the surface world.

"My lady, Boss Teers," he said, offering his hand to both of them. "Call me Jay for now. It's part of the underground, each mission we get a different alias."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jay," Padmé replied. Boss Teers did likewise.

"To business. I have information that in two days a transport will be leaving. It will be carrying trading goods, we can smuggle you onto the ship. Unfortunately, I do not know its destination."

Jay paused.

Boss Teers and Padmé looked at each other. Jay looked to them both.

"If you don't know where it is going, then what will I do? I need to get to Coruscant!" Padmé said urgently.

"My lady, getting you a transport directly to Coruscant would be too dangerous. I don't want to know why you have to go there. I don't even want to know who you are. All I know is you are important. Right now, the invaders are checking all the ships outbound for the capitol for stowaways. They check when they take off, and again when they land. I've even heard if they find someone, they shoot them dead on the spot, no questions asked.

"What we can do is get you a transport off-planet. Like I said, I can't tell you where. Security is another reason I can't find out where, if I am captured then I can't tell them where you went. What we will do is give you enough money to get you a ticket to…wherever you need to go."

Padmé nodded. She liked the way this guy worked. He was all business, and refused to know more than he needed for her sake. She hoped that when – if – she got to Coruscant there would still be an underground to aide.

"I'll do it."

"Good, I'm glad my lady. We will send somebody to get you when the ship is ready. It leaves two nights from this one, so be ready. We will bring you a change of clothes…those are rather…noticeable." His eyebrows rose as he glanced at her clothing, they looked as if they came from the royal palace. Or at least that they had at one point. Giving a final nod to the both of them, he left.

Two nights later, another agent came for her. He claimed to be Woo, but sounded oddly like Jay. Padmé couldn't see him clearly through the night, so she wasn't positive. After she changed clothes and journeyed back to the surface, Woo got her aboard the freighter. She stowed away in a large box that claimed to contain several of the prized chamelicks rich people purchased as pets. To pass the time, she was given a vial of sleeping pills to knock her out for most of the journey. An indicator was installed on the inside of the box, capable of reading when the ship was in flight or landed.

When the indicator flashed that the ship was entering hyperspace, Padmé gulped down one of the pills with her small supply of water. Just before she fell asleep, she counted her money: a total of two hundred Republic Ditaries. She settled back, and fell asleep.

* * *

_Beep, beep, beep_.

Padmé jolted out of her sleep. She panicked at first, not recalling where she was. Then she saw the green indicator light flashing.

Now was the time to find out where they dumped her.

Her box was one of the first ones loaded, so it would be last in unloading. That way, hopefully she could push out the little door and escape out the back unnoticed. She felt her box lifted, and could feel the slant of the exit ramp. Inside, she tried to maintain her balance; the box was supposed to be tightly packed with cages.

After waiting what felt like forever, she pushed the exit door out. Looking around, she could see the opening to the rest of the spaceport. She slunk out, and made her way over to it.

"Hey! You! STOP!" the ship captain called after her, having spotted her.

Padmé broke into a run, and her leg screamed in protest. Realizing that it was still sensitive from the injury, she favored it and loped along as best she could. The captain started after her, but stopped halfway to the entranceway.

"Oh well…damn stowaways! Not much you can do about it. Thankfully I wasn't shipping out to Coruscant, or I'd have to shoot 'em…Not likely they'll be of much concern, here anyways," the captain trailed off. He turned back to the dockworker, who was shaking his head. "Well, keep unloading! Can't let a stupid stowaway stop the merchandise from getting profit."

On her way out of the spaceport, Padmé passed a variation of the WA droid line. As she passed it, it started speaking.

"Welcome to Nal Hutta! May you enjoy your stay here!"

Padmé stopped dead in her tracks. The droid continued to describe Nal Hutta's attractions, luxurious mud baths, expensive resorts offering the finest spice, and other such frivolities. She left the droid drawling on, and rushed out of the spaceport.

The hustle and bustle of the dilapidated city met her eyes, and she wondered how she was ever going to get off the planet. She might as well have taken her chances with a transport to Coruscant, surely being shot on sight was better than this.

_This has got to be some kind of mistake…I can't be here…_


	2. Chapter 2

2

"Master, I feel I am ready for the trials! Please!" Anakin yelled.

"Anakin, NO! You are still not ready!" Obi-Wan yelled back, feeling like he was scolding a two year old. .

"But Master Windu…" Anakin trailed off. He balled up his fists, clenching then letting them go.

"My young apprentice," Obi-Wan used the term only when he got truly angry, "just because you are good with a lightsaber does not mean you are ready for the trials! The Council sees you as not ready yet! You must realize that!"

"But I AM! Most of the other Padawans my age have taken the trials and have become Knights!"

"That may be true, but you must remember they started their lives here in the Order! Because of the fact that you came here late sets you back – whether you like it or not!"

Anakin took a deep breath, shaking with anger. He knew he had arrived later than the rest of the Jedi his age. In fact, at almost every turn he was reminded that he was an outcast, an anomaly that should not have been let into the Order because he was so old.

Obi-Wan looked at him, took a breath and spoke again, this time a little more quietly. "Anakin, you still have much to learn. You are headstrong, and need to learn to control your anger. At times you let it get the best of you, and you lose control." He didn't add the 'and so do I' he was thinking.

"Only because you do…" Anakin grumbled. He crossed his arms and turned to gaze out the window. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to make another rebuke.

"Perhaps anger control _both _of you should learn."

Yoda stepped in the room. Neither of the other Jedi sensed his presence as he approached, they were too focused on their fight. Even now it unnerved Obi-Wan the way Yoda showed up at the most opportune – or inopportune – times. He and Anakin faced the small green Jedi Master.

"Right is young Skywalker. Headstrong still are you, Obi-Wan. But wrong is Anakin, also. Ready for the trials he is not."

Anakin scowled. Yoda shifted his gaze to him and blinked, continuing:

"Strained are both of you. A break you need, and so a new mission you both will get. To the Council chamber."

Yoda turned and walked out, leaning on his gimer stick. Obi-Wan and Anakin followed him up through the winding Temple to the top tower where the Council chamber rested. Inside the room, the Council was not in session. Instead, only Mace Windu and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine were present.

"Greetings, Master Yoda and Master Kenobi! And, hello, Anakin," Palpatine said.

Acknowledging the Chancellor with a nervous nod, Anakin walked hesitantly behind his Master. When no one made a move to sit down, he remained standing partly behind Obi-Wan. He shifted his weight anxiously; the Chancellor always put him on edge.

"I come to you now because many of the systems have declared their allegiance – either to the Republic or to the Federalist movement. The Hutts, though, have not contacted us or the Separatists. I wish to send someone to Nal Hutta to learn what the Hutts intend," Palpatine explained briefly.

Yoda spoke up, saying, "Good a break is, for a master and his apprentice. Stay here, study with me, shall Anakin. Journey to Nal Hutta will Masters Windu and Kenobi."

Anakin shifted his weight again. Frankly, Yoda made him nervous, too. What he wanted to do was go with Obi-Wan and help the Republic as best he could.

_But maybe Master Yoda is right…Obi-Wan and I have been at each other's throats for the past day or so. Perhaps a break _will_ do some good._

Just then, Anakin swore he felt someone watching. Eyes were studying him, but he felt something else tingling through the Force. Reaching out with his senses, he couldn't find the source. He stopped searching, and looked at the other people in the room. When Anakin looked at Palpatine, he met his eyes. The Chancellor had been watching him, studying him, and now averted his gaze back to the other Jedi.

"If we get the alliance of the Hutts, we get access to their weapons, their smuggling techniques…" Palpatine said, trailing off as he thought about all the political potential. He let the sentence hang for a second then brought himself back to the moment.

"Not only that, but then we also get Nal Hutta and all the others systems controlled by the Hutts aligned with us. That's a great deal of Outer Rim territory, where most of the Separatist systems are."

"The Hutts are also notorious for not sticking to their alliances. Entering into an agreement with them is dangerous," cautioned Mace. "They do what is best for Hutts, and only that after what is best for their clan. If going against the Republic should ever show to be more profitable for them they will do it."

"Then perhaps if we cannot get the alliance of all the Hutts, we can obtain help from at least one clan," Obi-Wan suggested.

Palpatine nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps."

"Yes, go you and Mace will. Find their intentions; possibly try for an alliance. Two and a half days the voyage will take, immediately you must leave."

Two and a half days later, Mace and Obi-Wan stared at the growing sphere of Nal Hutta. They landed was easily; obtaining permission from Hutt security by claiming to be investigating whether to post an extension of their business on Nal Hutta.

The room he and Mace acquired left much to be desired. The place had a feeling of grime to it, and the beds were old and lumpy. In the refresher unit a purple mold-looking _something_ grew along all the caulking. Obi-Wan didn't want to think about the other odd life-forms that might be using the room as home. After settling in as best they could, the two Jedi wandered out into the streets.

In their standard brown cloaks, they fit in well with the assortment of other sentients going about their business. First, they purchased an info holocard, hoping to learn some hint of what the Hutts were up to. To their dismay, Aruk the Hutt and his rival Jiliac were vying for control of the Hutts with complete disregard for other galactic politics. Not only that, but they were both residing on the moon Nar Shadaa.

"Curse it! I suppose we should make our way to the Smuggler's Moon tomorrow, since we already paid for the room here…" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "And it was a waste, at that!"

"That disgusting piece of Hutt spit? You call _that_ a room? More like a conglomeration of insidiously poisonous life-forms," Mace added with one of his rare laughs.

"Well, let's wander a bit…maybe we'll learn something of value on the streets."

The Jedi continued to explore, passing shops of all kinds: antiques, weapons, clothing, spice dealers, pet shops, and anything else imaginable. One item on display in a window they passed made both of them stop. Perched on a deep burgundy velvet pillow, a lightsaber was enclosed in a glass case. Both Mace and Obi-Wan stopped in their tracks. Wandering into the store, they saw other rarities were for sale. A withered and graying Bothan sat patiently behind his desk.

"Excuse me, I'm interested in that lightsaber you have on display in the window," Obi-Wan said, keeping his arms crossed so that his robes hid his own weapon.

"Ah...rare item it is! Private collectors or are you also in the business…?" the Bothan replied, making his way feebly over to the window.

Carefully he pressed his forefinger to a little pad on the side of the glass case and it opened. With even more caution he reached in and pulled the weapon out. Gently he passed it to Obi-Wan.

"Yes, you could say that," Mace replied, letting the Bothan decide for himself whether they were in the trade or not.

"Ah…I've had this beauty for quite some time now. They are rather hard to come by; hard to kill a Jedi is…"

Mace and Obi-Wan raised their eyebrows at each other. Obi-Wan held the lightsaber tentatively, he was nervous about igniting it. Although he didn't recognize the handle, he feared that when it turned on he would recognize the blade.

The myth that Jedi were invincible was quickly being eroded, all too often it was becoming the case that a Jedi did not return from an assignment. It was a fact of live brought on by the wars.

_Turn it on, _Mace urged him through the Force.

Without further hesitation Obi-Wan ignited the saber. A bright, distinctive red blade came from the hilt. Mace looked at Obi-Wan again, then back at the lightsaber. Obi-Wan gave it a couple small waves through the air, trying to act like he was unaccustomed to handling one.

"How much do you want for it?" Mace asked immediately.

"Well…it has seen battle…my asking price is… Three thousand Ditaries, if you have them…" the Bothan sneered.

"One thousand. It's been sliced," Obi-Wan cut in sharply. He motioned to the end of the handle. A definite scar ran across the metal.

"Are you mad? Are you trying to rob me? Twenty-five hundred!" the Bothan shrieked.

"Fifteen hundred."

"Twenty-one hundred."

"Sixteen hundred."

"Nineteen hundred."

"Seventeen hundred."

"Eighteen hundred and fifty. And that's _final_."

A second of silence passed as the two Jedi looked at each other again.

"We'll take it," Mace said decisively.

"And how will you be paying for this purchase?" The Bothan moved back over to his desk, this time with a little more enthusiasm than he had previously shown.

"Credit it to my account. Jev Dolsan," Obi-Wan instructed. The fake account had been set up on the way to Nal Hutta; it was linked directly back to the Temple, allowing him and Mace the money they would need.

"Ah…let me put it in…" The Bothan's fingers moved deftly over the keyboard. He punched in all the info then leaned back as he waited for it to clear.

"By the way, do you happen to recall who brought this in?" Obi-Wan asked with a tone of innocence.

"I believe it was a Neimoidian…rather stupid fellow. Didn't seem to quite understand what he had," the Bothan said dismissively. "You're all set, Mr. Dolsan! Thank you for your business!"

Outside the store, Mace turned to Obi-Wan. He said, "Why were you so insistent on that one? Other than it's not one of ours, which I've seen at least…"

It was customary for Jedi to buy lightsabers when they came across them in their travels and missions. The Order liked to keep track of them; they were extremely dangerous in untrained hands. A black market sprang up for them hundreds of years ago, and the fact that the Jedi tried to always buy them back added to the perception Jedi were elitist.

Mace knew by the color it was no ordinary Jedi lightsaber.

It was Sith.

Obi-Wan held it in his hand for a second, examining it. He glanced back at Mace.

"First, we both know from the color that it's Sith. Second, I've encountered this one before. See the scar on the base of the handle?"

Obi-Wan held out the charred end of the saber so that Mace could see what he was talking about.

"I did that. This used to belong to the Sith who killed Master Qui-Gon. It was a double-ended blade until I managed to cut it in half. The other half must have gone down the melting pit with him, and after the battle some Neimoidian idiot crony found it and decided to make a few credits off it… How bout some food?"

Completely off subject, Obi-Wan pointed to what would have resembled a diner on any other respectable planet. It looked not half bad, at least not as far as Nal Hutta standards went. Not to mention, nothing could get as bad as the room they had rented.

As he and Mace entered the establishment, the term restaurant could be used only in the loosest of senses, he felt a twinge of something at the Force. Something sad… Immediately he tucked the newly purchased lightsaber away into his robes, and made sure his own was out of sight.

Caution was always best.

* * *

Padmé was almost about to have a full-blown panic attack. For half a day she had been on Nal Hutta and no transport to Coruscant was to be found. Part of her problem was the inflation. Republic credits were almost worthless out here. Even if she were to find a ship to take her to the capitol, she wouldn't have been able to afford it. Her best option for now was to stay here and try to make a living to save up money to get offworld. 

_So much for getting help for Naboo…_

And thus she sat alone in a grungy diner with a cup of stimcaf before her. The stuff smelled so rancid she thought it ought to be marketed as a toxin instead. When she first skimmed the menu, a plate of nerf ribs sounded absolutely wonderful. A look at the price quickly put an end to that idea.

With the simcaf cooling in front of her, she watched other patrons, when the door opened and two men entered. One was bald, dark skinned, and wearing a darker brown cloak than the other. The other man was light skinned, still young looking, and had light brown hair. In his hand, Padmé swore she saw a lightsaber hilt. She wondered if perhaps it was the same one she saw in a shop window a little ways back.

Padmé watched them a little bit more, as they sat down and ordered their meals. They looked like average travelers, on their way to somewhere, doing something. Perhaps they were entrepreneurs, maybe spies. Maybe gamblers or smugglers.

_Jedi_.

Her intuition told her they were Jedi. A million possibilities exploded in her mind, and she thought about how best to make their paths cross.

* * *

Later that afternoon, nearing almost dark, the two Jedi stepped out of a cantina. Inside, they had obtained a tip from the manager and were on their way to making an arranged meeting with Jiliac the Hutt. Right now their best chances stood with trying to win over one clan. The Hutt greed would drive Jiliac to take the bargain, giving him more money than his rival Aruk. While the Jedi weren't great at manipulating, they hoped they could play this one well. 

For the remainder of the day, they wandered around a bit more, all in an attempt to delay returning to the disgusting room. Obi-Wan even mentioned the idea of going back to the ship to sleep; it had two cabins in it. Mace agreed that would be preferable over their room.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan had to dart to one side to avoid running full front into another person. The woman walked with her head down, watching the ground. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a bun at the bottom of her head. Obi-Wan realized it was a woman he noticed sitting at the back of the restaurant where he and Mace ate dinner.

Just as he passed her, she looked up at him. It seemed as if she were going to say something and decided against it, for she put her head back down and continued on her way. Obi-Wan turned to watch her go, and stopped in his steps. Something tugged at him.

_She's familiar…she's been in trouble before. She's stuck and she doesn't know what to do…Trouble…_

"Obi-Wan? What is it?" Mace was tugging at his shoulder, bringing him out of his reverie.

"I…I don't know. I had a message of sorts…through the Force…" Obi-Wan trailed off. Mace looked steadily at him. Obi-Wan continued. "I can't explain it. I just got this image of great sorrow, great loss. She's fleeing something, but it's trying to catch up to her."

"Our mission is not with her, Obi-Wan. You know this. We must stick to making an alliance with the Hutts, if one is possible," Mace chastised him lightly.

"HELP!" A bloodcurdling scream cried out from around the street corner. "HELP! PLEASE!"

"Amidala!" Obi-Wan exclaimed in sudden insight and bolted out of Mace's grasp.

Turning the corner, he could see a fat, dirty human male trying to drag Padmé down the alleyway.

"STOP!"

"You mind your own business, now," the man said.

"Help! Please!" Padmé looked at him pleadingly.

"Shut up, you!" The man pointed his blaster at her back. He looked back at Obi-Wan. "Now, you just turn around now, and act like you never saw nuthin'."

"Please, let her go." Obi-Wan put his hand out in a stop motion.

The man replied by shooting a red blaster bolt at him, and Padmé cried out. A humming blue blade deflected the bolt, thrumming as Obi-Wan waved it to the side. The man stared at him, too shocked to react.

"_Now _will you let her go?" Obi-Wan subtly motioned with his free hand.

"I'll let her go." Calmly the man dropped his blaster to his side, and let Padmé out of his grip.

"You will go home and rethink your life."

"I will go home and rethink my life." The man wandered off, muttering the phrase over and over.

"I think you over did it a little bit there," Mace said, coming up behind Obi-Wan and giving the confused man a quizzical look. He eyed Padmé, who still stood where the man had let her go. She was shaking, and appeared ready to collapse.

Concerned, Obi-Wan stepped over to her.

"I can't believe it…I can't believe it…" she whispered, her wide eyes on him. "I…"

The words got lost as a sob came out from her throat instead. Padmé's hands flew to her eyes, trying to stop the tears that flowed from them.

Not knowing what else to do, Obi-Wan knelt down next to her and held her. He tapped into the Force, trying to calm her down with its serenity. After a minute or two, he felt her crying ease. She was no longer sobbing, and the tears weren't running so rampantly down her face. Obi-Wan looked at her.

"Are you okay?" he asked tenderly.

"Yes, thank you…I can't thank you enough," Padmé said quietly. She looked closer at him. A distant look came over her face, then her eyebrows came together.

"Master Jedi? Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"What brings you to this part of the galaxy, My Lady? Why aren't you back on Naboo with your people?"

"The Separatists…" she let it hang. Obi-Wan knew enough not to push her. He was thinking and already reaching some conclusions.

"Master Windu!" he called over to Mace. Mace walked over to him. Obi-Wan continued, "Master Windu, this is Queen Amidala of Naboo."

"Please, call me Padmé," she interjected, no longer crying. She shook hands with Mace.

Mace studied Padmé. "I think it best we all get back to the ship immediately. You are most welcome to stay with us."

Padmé nodded in thanks.

Quickly Mace scanned the area once more for any possible lingering threats. Something made him feel ill at ease. Part of him wanted to leave Padmé, through some inexplicable way; he knew that she would change everything, all in this moment. But that did not matter now. The Jedi were involved with her – and she with them.


	3. Chapter 3

3

In his sleep, Obi-Wan rolled over. Or rather, he tried to roll over only to have something sharp jab him in the temple.

"Blazes," he muttered under his breath. Putting his hand to his head and rubbing the sensitive spot, he opened his eyes and groggily looked around.

No wonder he nearly had his eye poked out. The control panel of the _Lucky Star_ met his eyes, with its many knobs and buttons. He blinked a couple times, and then rubbed away the last bit of fuzziness from sleep.

The ship was berthed in a docking bay on Nar Shadaa. Last night, the two Jedi and the Queen boarded the ship and made the micro jump to the Smuggler's Moon. After docking, they decided to stay on the ship rather than trying to find a room to rent for the night. After everything Padmé had gone through (Obi-Wan felt there was more than she was telling them), he gave her his room without question and he slept out in the cockpit.

Carefully, Obi-Wan stood up. Instantly his back and neck cried out in protest; sleeping in the pilot's chair all night left them feeling stiff. He could sense the other two starting to wake, and decided he'd best go find the refresher. When he came back from the refresher, Padmé was out and in the same clothes she wore the previous day.

"Good morning. Ready to face a day full of Hutts?" Obi-Wan said.

"I'll be happier when this whole business is over," Mace replied instead, stepping in behind Obi-Wan. "I don't know who decided the Jedi should become diplomats…I just don't like it."

"Oh, it's not that bad," Padmé said with the makings of a smile on her face.

"Just as long as it doesn't come to…aggressive negotiations," Mace grumbled. "That's why I hate this job."

With that, he left the cockpit.

At Padmé's confused look, Obi-Wan answered her unspoken question, "In other words, he hopes we don't have to use our lightsabers. As good as he is, Mace doesn't like to use it unless he absolutely must and unfortunately he has a tendency to get assignments that usually end in an aggressive nature."

"I heard that," Mace called out.

"What?" Obi-Wan said sheepishly.

Footsteps made their way back to the cockpit, where Mace stuck his head in, completely ignoring Obi-Wan's protest. "We still have a job to do, Obi-Wan. We should get ready to leave."

He glanced at Padmé, who was unsuccessfully trying to hide a snicker behind her hand.

"Would you like to come with us?" Obi-Wan asked her.

Mace stared at him.

"She'd help us out…you just said we're not diplomats…"

"Alright. We'll have to see if there are some other clothes that might fit her in the ship's storage," Mace said. His tone indicated he might be about ready to turn to some aggressive negotiations right here on the ship.

Padmé wore an eager expression on her face, ready to go out and help the Jedi in return for their service to her.

"I'll go look." Obi-Wan headed down the corridor. After digging around in the storage compartment, complete with an extra lightsaber, he found a smaller cloak and some common-person clothes that might fit her. Although he respected her, he didn't want to give her full Jedi robes.

Padmé took them gratefully. "Is he always like that?"

"Wha – oh, Master Windu?"

She nodded.

"He's…just bothered by the way some things have gone in the wars, I think. He really would have nothing to do with the Hutts, but here we are."

"Oh." The word came out small and simple.

"Don't worry. It's nothing against you." Obi-Wan smiled reassuringly and left so she could change.

A few minutes later she emerged, thankful to be out of the clothes she had been wearing. Once they were out on the street, they got some breakfast then loaned a speeder and traveled what felt like halfway across the small moon. When they arrived at the Hutt's palace they were shunted aside, and given an audience with Jiliac's nephew, Jabba, instead.

The palace itself was grimy. A coat of dirt and grunge seemed to cover everything on Nal Hutta and its moon. The walls and columns of the place originally were cut out of expensive marble but had been allowed to decay, becoming dirt encrusted. Small ponds lay between the columns, and the water was tepid. A foul smell reached the noses of all three humans, and it was everything they could do to keep from crinkling their noses in disgust. A silver protocol droid led them through the maze of the palace.

A clattering sounded off to the left, down one of the corridors they passed. Obi-Wan's head whipped around to find the source of the sound. Reaching out to the Force, he did not feel anything suspicious, no life-forms lurked down the hallway. Again, an echoing clank sounded, this time from behind them. Obi-Wan whirled to catch the culprit of the noise.

Nothing. Again. Except – a distinct metal object ducked behind the corner.

Shaking his head, he turned back around and followed the rest of the group. There was something about that shape…he recognized it…it looked almost like a _foot_…

"We have reached His Gloriousness' chamber now. He will speak to you shortly," the protocol droid told them.

Mace nodded and shifted on his feet. After a quick minute, a door opened and a rather angry Barabel stepped out. He eyed the Jedi, and put his hand near his blaster.

"The mighty Jabba the Hutt will see you now." The droid turned to them and then back to the door. Without another word, it walked through the door that automatically opened. Just as Mace stepped up to it, though, it shut – forcing him to open it. Mace pushed it open, an exasperated look on his face.

"HEHEHE!" A booming laugh met their ears. The humans all looked at each other. Perched on a raised dais, the younger Hutt laughed again. Then he went on, speaking in a language neither of them could understand.

_Why didn't the Temple give us lessons in basic Huttese? _Obi-Wan cursed to himself. Padmé leaned over to him, whispering.

"Tell him that you don't speak his language, and fill it with complements – otherwise you might offend him."

Obi-Wan looked at her curiously but decided her advice couldn't hurt. He turned to Mace and told him what the Queen told him.

"Honorable Hutt, we sadly report that we do not speak your higher tongue," Mace said, trying to keep the grimace off his face from disgust at praising the sloth creature. In return Jabba spoke, and this time the droid turned to them.

"The Esteemed Jabba says that we shall then use an interpreter. He also says that whatever business you have with clan Desilijic that you make it speedy. He has a flight to catch back to Tatooine shortly."

Obi-Wan and Mace shared hesitant glances. Once again, Padmé leaned over to them to whisper advice.

"O great Hutt, we come here with a proposition for you. We come on behalf of the Republic, to offer you payment in return for alliance in the current conflict," Mace said.

A sputtering of Huttese came from the oversized slug.

"Lord Jabba asks what kind of payment you offer for Hutt services," the droid told them.

"Great one, we offer you money in return."

"Lord Jabba says he has enough money and wants something of more value for the favor. However, he will send your request on to Lord Jiliac, and let him decide what course of action to take."

The droid stopped speaking, dropping its arms as if it were powering down. Already Jabba was halfway through sliding out a back exit, his tail receding from view.

"Thank you, Wondrous Jabba for you audience," Obi-Wan called out.

A tail twitch was the only reply he received.

"Well, I guess that's it, then," Obi-Wan muttered and turned to leave.

"Lord Jiliac will contact you when he wishes to see you. May I have your comlink frequency so he will be able to get in touch?" the droid asked. Its silver head cocked to one side, its arms raised as if surprised.

Obi-Wan gave it to him.

"Thank you for your time, good sirs." The droid turned to leave.

"So, that's it? We get to find out way out of this place alone?" Obi-Wan crossed his arms.

"It appears that way, Master Jedi," Padmé said. She turned and led the way out the door.

They spent the rest of day the wandering around Nar Shadaa. Mid-afternoon, they checked back in with the Temple.

"Master Yoda, we went to see one of the Hutts today," Obi-Wan spoke calmly.

"And what did they say?" Yoda spoke straight, not in his usual backwards phrasing.

"Only that they want more than money and will respond if they decide to take our offer," Mace said. "I don't know if they will take it or not."

Yoda sighed. "Like the Hutts, I do not. Wish Palpatine had not asked us to do this, do I."

"Well, we're here now…oh, Master Yoda, we also encountered something else, I think you should know about it," Obi-Wan cut in. Yoda looked back to him, saying nothing and waiting for the young Jedi to elaborate.

"We found a refugee, she's the rather important leader of a planet – the one Qui-Gon and I went to aide about ten years ago," he said cryptically. "She has information that's rather disturbing."

Yoda nodded in understanding. "Bring her back to Coruscant with you, you shall. Find out here what to say has she."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan put his hand to his chin, remembering the strange foot-shape he saw at the palace earlier that day.

"Something more to say, have you, young Obi-Wan?"

"Master…" Obi-Wan started then decided it was not worth mentioning. "No, not for now."

Yoda gave him a cursory look, and accepted Obi-Wan's words. His blue image vanished.

Two days passed until they heard from Jiliac. For Obi-Wan, the previous nights were ones of agony; once again he slept out in the cockpit. Padmé offered to sleep there for the third night, but he declined, saying it was no bother. When Mace suggested they rent a speeder for the trip back to the palace, Obi-Wan was more than willing to go along with the idea. He wasn't sure his back would withstand that walk again.

"Wait, stop," Padmé said. Obi-Wan pulled the speeder over to the side of the road, and Mace looked at her. "You should probably get some blasters or something…"

When the Jedi didn't say anything, she continued. "I have a bad feeling about this. I can't explain, it's just something my intuition tells me."

"You mean like you can see what's going to happen?" Obi-Wan said.

"No, not like that. Just a feeling that we should be ready…for anything."

"I don't sense anything, do you Master Windu?"

Mace closed his eyes, and searched ahead in the Force. Opening them, he said, "No, but perhaps she is right. Maybe we should go prepared."

The Jedi and the Queen got out of the speeder. A short ways down the block they found a weapons store, and inside they bought a small blaster pistol for the Queen. Continuing on their way, Padmé felt better but not completely confident. The Jedi were calm so she tried to remain so herself.

Upon arriving at the palace they were again escorted by the same droid, who seemed not to recognize them. Today they were led into a much grander chamber; the marble retained some of its natural color instead of the dark brown coating the rest of the palace.

A very large, very fat Hutt sat on a specialized repulsorsled. It was barely big enough to carry his gross weight, his tail trailed off the back of it. Unlike his nephew Jabba, Jiliac said nothing as they walked into the room. He merely blinked at them a couple times before speaking.

"What brings you here, why does the Republic bother me this time?" he bellowed.

"O gracious Hutt, we come here simply to ask for your alliance," Obi-Wan said, conducting the negotiations today.

"What could the Republic offer me that would be of value?"

"We have many riches, great one."

At this, Jiliac seemed more interested.

Obi-Wan continued, "And, if possible, to learn where you stand on the issue of cloning."

"Cloning? This matter concerns me not! I do not care if the ships carrying my spice are clones! I do not care if my servants are clones! No, I think clones hold little importance here on Nar Shadaa and Nal Hutta. Nothing your Republic can offer would persuade me to take part in their petty wars!"

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows at the Hutt's outburst. He had not anticipated such a torrent from Jiliac. Mace, on the other hand, stiffened at the Hutt's words and Obi-Wan could feel that he was reaching out to the Force, trying to get a reading of his intentions.

Certain that he did not offend the Hutt by lack of manners; he pondered what had disturbed Jiliac. Obi-Wan had his own ideas of what was petty, and the crisis facing the Republic was not one of them. He thought of the hedonistic habits of the Hutts, and made himself all the more resolved.

"But no, I am not a fool. The Republic controls a lot of space, far more than it should perhaps," Jiliac said. This time his voice was calm, calculating the benefits.

Obi-Wan snapped to attention, watching him carefully. In the back of his mind, he bristled at the Hutt's slight against the Republic.

"A business proposition is a business proposition and I would be a fool to turn one down. No, Jedi, I will not say no. But I will not say yes. I must consider your proposal, and decide whether it to the best advantage of clan Desilijic."

The Hutt waved his hand, as if dismissing them.

"You are now dismissed," the protocol droid told them. Not that they needed the interpretation. Mace and Obi-Wan shared a brief glance as they followed the droid out.

* * *

"Hey! Stop!" Anakin yelled, running. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a Wookie and a Twi'lek fighting over a package of ration bars. Coming to a halt beside them, he tried to catch his breath.

"Wh...what's the problem?" he asked in one quick breath.

"This stupid furball claims that these ration bars are his. I distinctly brought them with me! They are mine!" The green skinned Twi'lek nearly shouted. He reached towards the Wookie and tried to grab the packed from his paws. The Wookie bellowed in reply.

"Hey! Hey! Easy! Both of you!" Anakin stepped in, holding off the Twi'lek. Over his shoulder, he said, "DC-11! Get over here, please!"

"How may I help you, sir?" DC-11 asked. The droid, one of the few that the Jedi employed for this purpose, made its way over to Anakin.

"I just need you to tell me what this Wookie is saying." He turned back to the disputers.

The Wookie gave another howl, and DC-11 translated: "The Wookie says that he found the box of ration bars in the hallway of the ship as he was coming back from the refresher. He asked around if they belonged to anyone, and did not find the owner."

Anakin adopted a skeptical look as the Twi'lek twitched his lekku irritably.

The lithe alien said, "That's what he claims, anyways. He really snuck into my room and stole them as I slept! They have been missing since this morning!"

"When did you find the box?" Anakin turned to the Wookie. He grunted and made a growling noise in response.

"He says that he found them a day and a half ago."

Anakin sighed. There was no way to prove either one right or wrong. He reached out with the Force, hoping he might catch a glimpse of guilt or nervousness from the liar. In fact, he found that both Twi'lek and Wookie were at fault. He looked between them both and spoke.

"You both just found them, here on the ground, didn't you?" he said.

The Wookie grunted in disdain, Anakin could tell well enough what his intent was. DC-11 started to speak, and Anakin waved him silent.

"This is an outrage!" the Twi'lek exclaimed. "I came here and expected help! Not false accusations!"

Holding his spot, Anakin just held eye contact with the Twi'lek. "I think you both should just split the box…some poor other refugee dropped it. Here, let me see the box."

He held his hand out for the ration bars, but the Wookie made no attempt to give them away. Anakin gave him a look that said _I'm not kidding_ and the Wookie handed them over with a growl.

Taking the box, Anakin counted the number of ration bars. To his relief, it came to a nice even twelve and he gave each being six respectively. The Twi'lek wandered off, grumbling what was most definitely not a thank you. The Wookie howled again, and gave Anakin a hard pat on the back that nearly sent him reeling.

"You're welcome," Anakin gasped. He inhaled sharply, trying to regain the breath that was knocked out of him by the Wookie. "Remind me to never get into a fight with one of those. Ever."

"Yes sir. I shall remind you if the need arises," DC-11 said.

Anakin rolled his eyes, then let them wander over the spaceport.

There were so many of them…so many species, so many beings… All of them taking refuge from the planets that declared themselves separate from the Republic.

Through the day Anakin lost count of how many fights, similar to the one he just resolved, he worked through. Ration bars, water, clothing, sanitary supplies, commodities, everything imaginable was up for grabs and argued over. A group of Sullustans fighting over some rill caught his attention. Feeling slightly guilty, Anakin turned away from them, leaving them to one of the Masters. At the current moment, he didn't want to get involved with spice and creatures likely to be on it.

"Work well with strangers you do," Yoda said. The quiet words startled Anakin.

"Hello, Master Yoda," he replied, turning around to face the little alien. "Thank you."

"Balance you bring to others. Perhaps not wrong it was to train you…" Yoda alluded, blinking. "Yes…perhaps not wrong it was."

With that, he started to walk away.

_What all that was about?_ Anakin shook his head in confusion as he watched Yoda wander away at his slow pace. After all these years in the Temple, he never got over how…_odd_…the Master could be.

"But perhaps strive to hard to be your best, you do, mmm?" Yoda turned around and suddenly said. Anakin stared at him, dumbfounded. "Back to the Temple we must go, important news from Obi-Wan is there."

In one of the high rooms of the Temple, with Adi Gallia and Ki-Adi Mundi also present, Yoda turned on the holotransmitter. In the center of the room, a miniature Obi-Wan appeared with a miniature Mace next to it.

"We have successfully contacted the Hutts. It appears that they do not wish to have an alliance with anyone, for we have heard nothing about one with the Federalists," Mace briefly explained. "However, Jiliac of the clan Desilijic was willing to have audience with us, and we are now waiting for his reply."

Obi-Wan continued where he left off:

"Our refugee remains of assistance to us, providing diplomatic support. There was one troubling thing: when we were speaking to Jiliac he knew we were Jedi. We don't know how he knew it, for none of us said anything." Obi-Wan shrugged. "Now we just have to wait, oh, excuse me…"

Obi-Wan turned around, then turned back, saying, "We have just received a transmission from Jiliac, he will see us again. Hopefully we will be home shortly! And Anakin, mind you behave yourself under Master Yoda!"

With that, the transmission shut off. Anakin blushed at Obi-Wan's words, and Yoda turned to him and smiled.

"Very good you have been, very good. Very good this break has been for you, no longer do anger and tension provoke you both. Master and apprentice will be able to once again work in peace."

For the second time, Anakin blushed. Adi Gallia smiled at him, too, nodding. Anakin felt like he could not make his face go redder.

* * *

The fat Hutt Lord leered down at Obi-Wan, Mace and Padmé with his dirty yellow eyes.

"Hehe!" he boomed. "Not only do you insult me with not offering anything of value and give me money instead, but you offer me REPUBLIC CREDITS! HAHA!"

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows, hoping the Hutt wouldn't notice him behind Mace. Padmé stood on his left, her brown hair pulled back from her face.

"No, I cannot accept your offer. I have decided that if the Republic were truly civilized, they would not send me this Jedi _poodoo_! Do they not have ambassadors where you come from?"

Obi-Wan felt a tingling in the Force, telling him to be on his toes. Mace stiffened from the same warning; he had felt it ever since they reached the palace. But that was Mace. He had a talent for such things.

"Do you Jedi know that there is one thing the Republic could have sent us? I have decided there is nothing greater the Republic offer than two of its Jedi! HEHEHE!"

Mace found his voice, and asked, "And what is to become of the lady, Lord Jiliac?" He said the word 'Lord' with strain.

"Ooh! She is to go as a gift to my nephew, Jabba! A great gift she shall make! HEHE!"

Padmé's eyes opened wide with shock, and she looked alarmingly to Obi-Wan. He didn't turn to her, but she did feel a calming presence wash over her. She gulped.

Without another word, guards entered the room from doors on all four sides of the room. Each was armed with an assortment of blasters, stun guns, stun nets, and vibroblades.

Obi-Wan's eyebrows went up as he took in the variety of weapons and wondered how they did not manage to kill themselves off by merely walking.

"So much for a peaceful visit," he grunted through clenched teeth.

Fighting their way out of a fully guarded palace they didn't know was not Obi-Wan's idea of a morning warm-up. His hand went to his lightsaber instinctively. He watched as Mace turned from the Hutt and started to walk to the grand entrance doors and the front of the hall.

As soon as he took his first step, one of the guards fired. In a split second Mace had his purple blade out, swung, and deflected the bolt. In the background, Jiliac began booming in laughter, but Obi-Wan barely heard it. It was merely a distraction he didn't need to focus on.

"JEDI POODOO!" the Hutt roared once more as he vanished out a handy little back door just behind his repulsorsled.

"So he doesn't even want to take credit for this, huh? _That's_ always enough to make a body feel good!" Obi-Wan sarcastically said. The Queen smiled wryly at him, and pulled out her blaster.

"Yeah, well it _is_ always good to be prepared…he doesn't care about credit, he just cares about his disgusting bulbous tail getting shot off!" she said. When a guard from a far corner fired at her, she took one deft shot and knocked him down.

His scream echoed through the hall.

"One down…how many more to go?" she muttered.

"You two, let's get out of here and back to the ship," Mace called out.

Deftly the Master was avoiding blaster bolts and stun bursts. Suddenly he whirled around to find a stun net flying straight for his face. The opening stun net stopped short of Mace, and reversed its trajectory, flying back toward the one who unleashed it. It enveloped him, and he fell with one strangled yell of frustration to the ground, unconscious.

Padmé took cover under Obi-Wan's blocking capabilities. Both of them ran to catch up to Mace. The dark Korun Master stood at the door deflecting bolt after bolt with deadly and precise skill. His face was somber, deep in concentration. Obi-Wan could feel the older master's connection with the Force, and reached out to it himself. For an instant, he thought he could almost feel and sense what Mace was, but at the flash cut back his Force perception.

Finding a weak pillar halfway to where Jiliac resided minutes before, Obi-Wan pushed on it with the Force. It came crashing to the ground, sending a couple guards scrambling out of the way. The rest of the guards left stared in amazement at the falling column. Quite obviously they had never encountered Jedi before. Padmé took the moment to push the door open, and they all tumbled from the room.

"Now where?" Obi-Wan said. "Oh, that's just great…that's really great! I…hate….these guys!"

Outside the door were several battle droids. One glance at them and Obi-Wan realized that it was the foot of a battle droid he saw a few days ago. Mace muttered something that sounded like "It's not good to hate, younger Jedi," but the words were lost in the din.

As soon as the battle droids registered who they were they began firing a volley of blaster bolts at them. Padmé stood back and took potshots at the droids, while Obi-Wan, courageous as always, charged ahead and started hacking. He darted this way and that. The blue lightsaber flashed and sizzled, frying droid components. Less than a minute passed for him to make quick work of the battle droids. Mace joined him just a bit later, making sure the door was impassable by collapsing another high marble column in front of it.

Within the space of seconds, the two Jedi had made mincemeat of the seven or so battle droids. Obi-Wan hurtled his lightsaber at the last droid, the blade slicing its head off before flying back to the Jedi. Ruined parts lay everywhere, heads, arms, legs, and torsos. All sustained damage of lightsaber singes and holes.

"It's always nice to run into old, dependable friends," Obi-Wan said. "Now I want to know just why the Hutts have these cheap pieces of Jawa junk hanging around."

"Did you just say 'Jawa junk'?" Padmé said. Obi-Wan shot her a look saying, _So what if I did?_ She rolled her eyes at him and stepped lightly through the rubble.

"Well, the Hutts must be giving the Federalists something in return," Mace commented, completely ignoring their exchange.

"I thought the Separatists used clones," Padmé said.

Both Jedi looked at her.

"She's right," said Obi-Wan. "They would have no use for battle droids. That's it. The Trade Federation gave them to the Hutts."

Mace gave him a look that clearly showed he thought the younger Jedi was insane.

Padmé agreed with the Master. "That doesn't make sense. The droid armies were the pride and joy of the Trade Federation."

"But if they have the clones…who, given that they can be somewhat unstable, are basically in endless supply…"

"True…"

"Let's get out of here before more of them show up, regardless. And, those guards will blast their way through that door any minute, and we don't want to be around when either one happens…" Obi-Wan said, turning around to leave.

Suddenly he stopped.

"Which way do we go again?"

"That way," Padmé told him, pointing right.

"Right."

Obi-Wan took off. Mace shook his head, and followed Padmé and the other Jedi at a slower pace.

After a few more turns, they encountered some more guards, and a few more battle droids. One pack of guards was surprised by their appearance, right near the entrance to the palace, and Obi-Wan used a quick mindtrick on them to let them pass. On the way out, they passed another protocol droid.

"Thank you for your business, and may you have many good journeys filled with luck and profit," it said blandly.

"No, thank _you_ for your business!" Padmé mouthed off. Wasting no time she shot its head off, point blank. The droid didn't have the time to even begin forming a reply to her statement.

"Droids, _any_ droids, are really starting to get on my nerves…" She shook her head and stormed out the door.

Obi-Wan just gaped at her then looked back to Mace, who merely shook his head.

"She's troubled…it will catch up to her," he said prophetically. Without another word, Mace went to follow the Queen as she made her way to their speeder.

Acting like normal people going about their business, they traveled to the spaceport. They eventually arrived after Obi-Wan got into trouble with Hutt security for speeding. A quick mindtrick on his part got them out of both the situation and a ticket.

Quickly walking through the spaceport, they found the _Lucky Star_. Inside, Mace rapidly started the ship and took off, not bothering to ask for clearance. They reached the upper atmosphere of Nar Shadaa without further pursuit, and as soon as the coordinates were put into the navicomputer, they took off into hyperspace.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thank you so much to HarryEstel, R-Krulle, and Princess-Aiel for your comments. I'm happy you are enjoying the fic, and thank you for taking the time to read it. I should be able to update a couple more chapters now that the weekend is here - there is no excuse for no updates! O:-)

4

Anakin walked swiftly out to the Temple docking bay. Obi-Wan and Mace were due back any minute and he wanted to be at their arrival to greet his master. Squinting and looking out over the dark horizon, he thought he spied a ship that had an outline like the _Lucky Star_.

"Is that them, Master Yoda?" he said as he raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring daylight.

Yoda only looked up at him and blinked.

_I hate it when he does that…but oh well. He just wants me to trust my feelings more…_

Anakin reached out with the Force to the approaching ship. Obi-Wan definitely was there, it took no time for Anakin to feel him in the Force, and Mace Windu was right nxt to him. Anakin paused for a second, feeling a third presence in the Force. Concentrating on it, no flashes of recognition came to him. He shrugged and let it go.

The ship finally landed, and the landing platform opened. Mace and Obi-Wan walked down, followed by a third person. Anakin paid her no mind at first, then did a double take.

The third person was a girl, no a woman. A very attractive woman at that. Her face was gentle, and her dark eyes took in the landing platform and its occupants all in turn. Her dark hair, Anakin could tell, was curly and pulled back into a neat bun at the base of her neck. She walked as if she were uncomfortable in her clothes, but still carried herself well.

Something about her resonated that her confidence had been shaken. Anakin had the sudden urge to go to her, wanting to –

_Have I gone crazy? I don't even know who she is! _

Afraid that he would draw attention from the other masters, he buried his desire to talk to the strange woman, suddenly knowing that he would have that chance in the near future.

"Hello, Master! How was your trip?" Anakin called out, walking over to Obi-Wan. He greeted Mace, and simply nodded to the woman, unsure of how to address her.

Confusion passed across her face as she looked him over, and for some reason that he could not identitfy his stomach curled into a knot so small it felt as though he were born without it. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she squinted to get a better look at him. Anakin swallowed, and with it he forced himself to focus back on the situation at hand.

Mace went over to Yoda and told him in a hushed voice briefly what had happened on Nal Hutta and Nar Shadaa. Yoda turned to them.

"Stay with me, shall Master Windu and the lady," he said, not wanting to divulge Padmé's identity to anyone else prematurely. "Go with your apprentice, you shall Obi-Wan. Find that both of you are refreshed you will."

The two Jedi Masters and the lady walked off in another direction, but not after the girl turned around and gave Anakin another glance. It made Anakin pause for a moment. He reasoned that she must have been looking at Obi-Wan, after all she had come back with him.

Obi-Wan, taking the hint from Master Yoda but feeling guilty at hiding something from his Padawan, told Anakin what occurred on their little excursion. Conveniently leaving Padmé out, Obi-Wan suggested dinner when he was done. His stomach had been nagging him for food the last couple hours of the journey home.

* * *

Later that night, Padmé rolled over from a listless doze. Tangled in the sheets, she panicked; images of the many places where her family had been held flashing in her mind. She sat straight up in her sleeping cot, trying to disentangle herself.

As she gasped for breath, memories of the Jedi Temple and meeting Yoda, along with the rest of the Jedi council, rushed through her mind. Feeling calmer, she fumbled in the dark for a minute before finding the switch to the lamp beside her bed. She turned it on and pushed the bedcovers away.

Instantly she was reminded why she'd woken up. Her stomach growled loudly. Standing up, she slipped on the slippers the Jedi had provided for her and padded across the room.

Opening her door, she recalled that Mace told her that the kitchen was down to the left when he escorted her to the room, or so she thought. Making her way left she started walking down the hallway of rooms full of sleeping younglings. She took a right at the end of the hallway, then up a level, then a left, another right, another floor up…

Soon she was hopelessly lost.

_Figures. I get lost in the one building that's a kilometer high…_she thought cynically after having made her way up and down so many stairs and turbolifts that it felt like she had traveled many times the height of the Temple.

Wandering around whatever floor she was on now, she'd lost count how many she'd gone up or down, she hoped she might run into a Jedi that might be able to help her.

_Snap-hiss._

That sound was distinguishable anyplace in the galaxy. Wherever it was, that meant a Jedi was right there with it. Quietly, she made her way to the sound.

Reaching the spot, she saw a blue blade dancing around with a trainer. The lights were off in the room, and the Jedi inside seemed not to notice her. Padmé watched intently, having never encountered a Jedi in practice.

It was something to see.

The blue blade darted back and forth, doing a complicated dance with the trainer. Bolts were reflected back at it, absorbed. Others were deftly dodged.

_This Jedi must really spend a great amount of time training…that takes some true devotion…_ Padmé sighed. The thought lead her to remember her time spent devoting herself to her people, which made her wonder what her life would be like if she hadn't been elected queen. _I certainly wouldn't be here. I'd be back on Naboo, safe in my village with Mom and Dad…and poor little Talié…_

She fought back the tears that burned her eyes and focused her attention on watching the trainer and trainee. The blue blade vanished, and the room went dark. Padmé took a sharp breath; she hoped the Jedi wouldn't mind that she had watched him.

The door opened to reveal the same young Jedi that had greeted them out on the landing platform earlier that day.

"Oh – hello!" he said. He stopped in the doorway, looking at her.

"Uh, hello," she said, blushing. "I'm sorry; I hope you don't get offended that I was watching you – I –"

"It's okay. Is there something you need?" he asked. The beginnings of a polite smile made his lips turn upwards.

"Oh, yes actually, there is. I was trying to find the kitchens and I got lost…Master Windu told me where they were, but I can't remember…" She shook her head and put her hand to her forehead.

"Well, let me show you. You managed to get several floors above them…but that's alright. I could use a midnight snack."

The smile widened.

She nodded, and he led her off down the hallway. Neither of them spoke much on the way to the kitchens, not sure of what to say. Padmé tried to figure out who he was, she knew him from _somewhere._ In the back of her mind, she realized that so far they had not even traded names, but she paid no mind.

Eventually they reached the kitchens, where awkwardness was driven away with the appearance of food. When Padmé had a plate of food, and he had a simple snack bar, she sat down at one of the many empty tables in the dining hall. Off in a corner another Jedi sat alone, nibbling at some concoction and ignoring them.

"You don't mind if I sit with you, do you?" the young man asked, sitting down. He set the snack bar on the table in front of him.

"No, of course not!"

"So, where are you from?"

"Huh? Oh…" she faltered and struggled to think of a different planet name so she could maintain her cover. "I'm from Nubia – you? Or do you remember?"

"Me? Oh, I'm from Tatooine…you probably haven't heard of it." He waved his hand dismissively. The snack bar continued to sit in front of him untouched.

"Actually, I have. I think I heard it mentioned somewhere on Nal – Nar Shadaa."

"If you're from Nubia, how did you manage to end up on Nal Hutta?" he asked, catching her slip up. "Wait! Nar Shadaa? But Obi-Wan and Master Windu went to Nal Hutta…"

"Oh…well, I originally went there…but then, Obi-Wan got me out of a little bit of trouble."

Padmé looked down at her food. She wasn't sure how much she could trust him. The knowledge that she knew him nagged at her and she wracked her mind to figure out who he was.

Then it hit her – he was _Anakin Skywalker_.

Choking, Padmé took a second look at him. He hardly looked like the boy she remembered from Tatooine. In the thirteen years since she last saw him he had…grown up. No longer was he the small eager little boy with an innocent smile. His shoulders were broad and filled out, and now he stood at nearly two meters tall. The blue eyes watching her had depth, showing he'd seen much since their parting.

Regardless, he did not recognize her, so she decided to say nothing.

"So how did you end up on Nal Hutta from Nubia?" he pressed.

Padmé shrugged, averting her eyes.

The rest of her meal passed quietly, with her asking the occasional question about the Jedi Order and its training. When she finished, she pushed her plate away and rubbed her eyes.

"I just wish I could sleep…" she mumbled.

"Hmm?" Anakin turned back to her. He still sat at the table, waiting for her to finish so he could escort her back to her room. The snack bar sat untouched on the table before him. He seemed to have forgotten it entirely.

"I just can't sleep. Too much on my mind, I suppose. There's just too much going on, really, too much to keep up with…" Padmé sighed.

Anakin turned back to her, saying, "I know what you mean sometimes. It's all just too much to keep track of – I have to go do this, I have to go do that. The only time I get to have to myself is late at night like this."

"I'm sorry if I intruded, I just–" she started to apologize.

"Don't worry about it. You just have to have time for yourself once in a while. Especially after helping refugees all day long – not that I mean you're a burdern or anything."

"Being Qu – being around my father so much taught me that. We helped the others get offworld first, staying till the last minute. Mother was pushing Father to leave, but he wouldn't, not until the last Loyalist left safely. I was behind him the whole way through it all."

He merely nodded in return.

"Can I show you something?" Anakin changed the subject after a second of silence.

"Oh! Well, sure," Padmé said, hesitation in her voice.

Leading the way out of the kitchen and navigating the upper parts of the Temple, Anakin brought her to the top balcony.

"Wow," Padmé whispered under her breath.

The view stretched for kilometers up here with nothing to obstruct it. Stars spotted the sky, thousands upon thousands of them. All around city lights twinkleds, making an uneven skyline against the dark sky. Ships wove around the buildings, their engines adding their own lights to the mix. The spattering of lights continued on forever, up, down, all around.

"I come here when I can't sleep." Anakin stepped up next to her and leaned against the balcony. He made no sound doing so, and his voice reflected the same gentle peace. "It has this way of telling your mind that no matter how bad things are, there will always be something beautiful when you come through."

"I can't imagine a Jedi not being able to sleep…"

"Trust me, it happens." The tone of his voice went dry.

"Is that why you were up tonight?"

"You could say that."

Padmé gave him a look that let him know she expected more of an explanation.

"Sort of…I'm not just a normal Jedi – you're right most Jedi _do_ sleep peacefully, except for maybe Master Yoda – I started training late. Obi-Wan's old master found me on Tatooine when I was nine, and he fought for my training."

"What were you doing on Tatooine?" Padmé turned to look at him, taking her eyes from the city. She could tell he was thinking over how to answer. For a second the idea flashed through her mind to tell him she knew who he was to put an end to this ridiculous charade. Surely he knew who she was.

Those blue eyes studied her as his hand picked at a piece of peeling paint on the railing. Both of them stood there, and Padmé realized they were staring at each other. Her cheeks flushed as she realized how rude she was being, staring at him like this.

Despite her embarrassment she could not keep her eyes off his face. _He's a handsome Jedi…_ she thought, allowing herself to slip in the forbidden description. _Exactly. He's a Jedi. Get your eyes off him. _

As if he sensed her discomfort, Anakin broke the silence. He answered her question from minutes ago.

"It's something I don't like talking about, but I was a slave." The words came out heavily, as if he were admitting to a hideous crime. "Both my mother and I. We belonged to a Toydarian named Watto, and we lived there for nearly as long as I can remember. I was a slave child, born into it."

" But…what about your dad?" Padmé furrowed her eyebrows.

"I have no dad." Anakin looked back down at his hands. Padmé didn't say anything, so he continued. "Apparently, I was just _born_. There's nothing to it, really. My mom just turned up pregnant one day, and I was the result."

"Oh." Padmé wasn't sure what to say. An awkward silence fell over them again, and determined not have result in her gaping at him again, she said, "But…you ended up here though. Surely you're glad to be off Tatooine?"

Anakin sighed. "I am. It's just hard because by the time I came here, I was nine. Jedi start training before they reach their first standard year. And the only reason I was accepted was because of some old prophecy."

"The Chosen One," she breathed.

"What? You know of the Prophecy?" He looked at her, eyebrows arched with surprise.

"I…" Padmé trailed off, not sure what to say. She was dangerously close to blowing her cover. "I knew a Jedi back on Nubia – she worked closely with my father. I just remember her mentioning something offhandedly one day about it."

Anakin nodded his head. "She's right…well, at least everyone believes I'm the Chosen One. The best part is that I don't even know what it means – sometimes I don't think the Masters do either. They just sit around all day and get so lost in the Force they wouldn't notice if a Sith walked right into the Temple."

"Are you serious?" Padmé asked him the question so seriously Anakin thought she mistook his joke.

"No…it was a joke."

"Oh."

"I guess you're not a joke kind of person then."

Padmé laughed.

"So you do have a sense of humor."

"Are you teasing me?"

"I wouldn't have the guts to tease a –" Anakin started but stopped short.

"What? You wouldn't have the guts to what? I thought you were a Jedi."

"Oh, I see how this works. Now you're teasing me."

"I wouldn't dare tease a Jedi Knight."

"I'm not a Knight yet."

"So you're just a Padawan still?"

"Yes," Anakin grunted, obviously he wanted to keep that little fact a secret. He made a point of putting his attention on the cityscape again.

"When will you become a Knight?"

Anakin looked at her before answering. "I don't really know…whenever the Council decides I'm ready. I should be taking the Trials soon – most of the Padawans my age already have."

"I'm sure your time will come soon enough." She smiled, trying to make her words seem more than a simple, rote excuse.

"I suppose it will." He shrugged. "The Chosen One can't remain a Padawan forever. That is if I'm even the Chosen One at all. Who knows, there's so many things about the old Prophecy that could be taken in a million ways."

"Yeah," Padmé said to fill the space, feeling sorry in the back of her mind that she brought it up.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to dump that all on your shoulders, it's not your fault," Anakin hastily apologized.

"It's alright. We've both been through some rough times, had our fair share…" Padmé trailed off. Her hand moved to pat him on the shoulder, a gesture of comfort. Halfway through the gesture she pulled her hand back and pretended that she was going to scratch her head instead.

_Get a hold of yourself. You can't be falling to pieces like this right now_, she admonished herself.

"So what happened to you?" Anakin asked, genuinely curious.

"Well…like I told you, my father was a Loyalist on Nubia. He worked against the Separatist movement that the government joined with. Underground work was his area, and it caught up with him. Most of the other families he worked with got away, but not ours… They found out who we were, tracked us, and jailed us. After about two months of being imprisoned, they took all of us out of the city…"

Padmé's voice cracked.

Comfort washed through her, soothing her body and easing the pain of recalling the difficult memories.

She froze, completely unsure of where the sensation came from. She certainly had no comfort left in herself. One glance at Anakin and it all made sense. He was a Jedi. Surely he could feel her pain at the memory. And here he was, an understanding smile on his gentle face, reaching out with the Force to give her the pat on the shoulder that she had not had the nerve to give him.

Her eyes lingered on him for another second, and one corner of his mouth turned up more. He made no other move.

"They botched the job. They thought they got all of us, but they didn't…I managed to crawl away…" she found the voice to continue. "Some Loyalists found me, and they helped me get offplanet, and that was it. I landed on Nal Hutta, and Master Obi-Wan found me there. Thankfully he was kind enough to help me."

Padmé finished and sighed. She twiddled her thumbs for a second then sighed again. Anakin didn't say anything, and she wasn't sure whether she liked the silence or not. Deciding that she did not she spoke again.

"With all the Loyalist work, I didn't have time for much else. And until then, even during it, I was sheltered. I guess you could say now my eyes have been opened; I always used to think the galaxy was a safe place…nothing bad ever happened near home. But now, that's not true…"

For a second she paused and glanced down at her feet. It felt so good to let out all the thoughts plaguing her for the past several days. As she spoke, the pressure choking her heart loosened. She knew Anakin would betray nothing she placed in his confidence.

"Nal Hutta was the first time I've been truly on my own. I've always had someone else there, someone else to lean on and help. Now though, all those people have been turned to rancor meat and left out to rot." A tone of bitterness took over her voice. "I got offplanet, didn't have enough money. I was nearly assaulted, and all because of those kriffing Separatists."

"We're just two lost and confused people trying to figure it all out," he said when she finished.

"Stuck somewhere completely strange, that's for sure. Although, I have to say that your situation is far better, Master Jedi."

"I don't think we're so different," said Anakin with a slight laugh in his voice. When she raised one eyebrow at him, he continued, "The Order is great but I don't fit in all that well. I feel like I'm being held back. It's like they don't want to teach me all they know because they're afraid of what I might do just because I'm the Chosen One."

Both of them fell silent again and watched the skyline. Padmé's eyes trailed a small luxury yacht as it floated across the city. Out in the east, a slight pink started to show. Coruscant's sun started to wake up, slowly bringing the rest of the city with it.

"Oh wow. I should be getting back," Padmé said, but made no move to leave.

Anakin smiled. A shrill beeping erased it so fast it seemed as if he had received a deadly blow to the head.

"My comlink!" Anakin blurted. He fumbled in his robes for the beeping thing and when he found it his master's voice came out of it.

"Wake up call!" Obi-Wan chimed. "Anakin, where are you?"

Anakin groaned. Padmé looked curiously at him.

"It's Obi-Wan…I've got breakfast duty this morning…I completely forgot!" He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand then looked at her. "Listen, I want to talk to you again, maybe sometime later today. Take my comlink, you can pull up a map of the Temple on it. Here, like this."

He proceeded to show her the map then left the comlink with her.

"Don't worry about it, I'll come find you later and fetch it. Feel free to come down for breakfast in a little bit, if you're hungry again."

"Thanks. I might do that." Padmé fiddled with the complex comlink he had placed in her hands.

"I've got to get going before Obi-Wan skins me alive. It was nice talking to you – I hope things get better for you."

Padmé could only mutter another thank you, wishing he did not have to leave. Anakin turned and began to make his way back inside the Temple. After a few steps he looked back at her and smiled, and she smiled back. He paused in his steps.

"By the way, you're still an angel," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. Quickly he turned back around so she could not see the blush rising in his cheeks and he took off for the kitchens without looking back.

_An angel…he still thinks I'm an angel…_

Padmé let the thought go unfinished. She studied the comlink again; it was such a small and insignificant thing. And yet she could not help feeling that she held something personal of his.

_You're so silly. It's just a comlink. Nothing more. _

_But he still thinks I'm an angel._

As if that resolved the matter, she finally went back inside.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: To the new readers, and old, thank you again for your input! Again, I'm glad you're enjoying the story and liking it! To Hieiko, when Padme says she is from Nubia, she is using it as a cover - she's not sure whether she can trust the young Jedi she is talking with, she hasn't recognized Anakin yet. Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I've had to rework that part a few times and the clarification got lost in the process. But it has been fixed!

Forbidden Assignments

5

All through breakfast Anakin's thoughts were elsewhere. Obi-Wan chided him lightly; first for being late and later for allowing the omelets to blacken. When the time came to serve the meal, Anakin impatiently stared down the line of hungry Jedi to see if Padmé's dark head showed up in the crowd. The line of Jedi dwindled down and with a sinking feeling he realized she was not going to appear at breakfast.

All day he didn't see her. It was as if she had disappeared off the face of the planet. He wondered if she had made herself vanish, afraid to accept charity. Obi-Wan asked him if he wanted to do some sparring and he turned his master down, too distracted to focus. Obi-Wan, puzzled, let his apprentice be and sought out other company. Finally he tried to reach out to the Force to find her.

She still eluded him.

About mid-afternoon, having decided to trust that Padmé would eventually seek him out, he met back with Obi-Wan. Not five minutes after master and apprentice met each other did Obi-Wan's comlink began beep.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi speaking," he said into it, a slight look of confusion on his face.

"Obi-Wan, this is the High Council," Mace's strong voice said. "We wish to speak to your apprentice."

Obi-Wan looked at Anakin as if to say, "Have you lost your comlink _again_?"

Anakin blushed. The blood vessels in his face seemed to be getting quite a workout these past couple days.

"Very well. I'll send him on his way immediately." Obi-Wan clicked the comlink off and turned to Anakin. "Best be going – the High Council wants you."

"What? Why?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. Anakin knew he was biting back another lecture about loosing his comlink, his lightsaber, it was all the same…over and over…

_Relax. He hasn't said anything yet. Let it be and he might not_, Anakin told himself. Stepping into the chamber, he faced Yoda directly.

"Welcome, young Skywalker," Yoda said plainly. "A mission for you we have."

A trill went through Anakin. Something echoed through the Force, he _knew_ what this mission might be. He allowed his lips to curl upwards, waiting for Yoda's next words.

"Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo has come to us in need of aide. She is able to help the Senate with the Separatist invasion of her planet now that she is in the capital," Mace Windu said. His face remained indifferent and he sat stoically in his chair. "To do this, she needs to have a place to live. We want her close; we don't know what the assassins on Naboo may try to do to find her if they know she is still alive. We have decided that you shall help her find new quarters."

"What about Ob – Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin covered up his blunder. He and Obi-Wan were close enough that the Jedi Knight didn't mind his Padawan calling him only by first name. However, the Council did not hold with such loose formality.

Yoda just blinked at him. .

"Very anxious he is to prove himself," Adi Gallia said in her soft voice. "Possibly overly so…you want to take the trials. But you're not ready yet."

Anakin blushed a deep red. Very much with that workout, no doubt about it.

"But we're not wrong to give him his own assignment. He's ready," Mace countered.

Anakin tried not to be impatient or blush any more. He hated it when the masters started talking as if he or Obi-Wan weren't there.

"Why are you anxious, Anakin Skywalker?" Ki-Adi Mundi questioned.

Anakin thought for a second then answered, holding back a sharp tone to his voice.

"I just feel I'm ready. I feel like I've learned as much as I can. I want to be able to go out and work to the best I can."

"Mmm. Still uncertain I am, but this assignment you shall have," Yoda said slowly with a tone of finality. "Go back to the Queen, help her today you will."

"Yes, Master." Anakin bowed deeply, and turned to leave the room. Once outside the council chamber he found a comlink station. He dialed in his link, and after two beeps Padmé answered.

"Hello?" She sounded nervous.

"Don't worry, it's me."

"Oh! Hi, Anakin."

"Can I come up and see you? Are you in your room?"

"Oh…Well, sure. Do you know where it is?"

"I can find it. I'll be there soon."

With that, he shut the link off. With a few more keystrokes, he pulled up a search and typed in her name. He wasn't positive about the spelling, but when the computer pulled up a few options he knew it immediately. Next he found directions to her room and realized it wasn't far from his own.

The whole trip down took just a minute or two. At the right door, he knocked quietly and looked up and down the corridor nervously. A knot twisted in his stomach, making him regret eating a plentiful lunch.

"Hi, come in, come in…" Padmé said as she opened the door.

Anakin nodded and stepped in, smiling as he looked around.

The room was still simple; Padmé didn't have many things with her when she arrived. The bed was neatly made and a mini holoprojector sat on the desk in the corner, giving away the fact that she was doing research on the history of the Jedi and the Temple. The single lamp in the room, the one she struggled to turn on earlier that day, was on.

"Here, I still have it." Padmé held out his comlink.

"Oh, thank you…actually I didn't come to talk to you about that," Anakin said. Taking the comlink, he bounced it a couple times in his hand, not sure how to tell her what the Council bid him to do. Now that he knew who she was, he found it increasingly difficult to string two words together in a coherent manner.

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"I've been assigned the task of finding you lodging for your stay on Coruscant," Anakin said, having finally found his voice. "The Council expects you will be staying here to help against the Separatists, and so you need to have some place to stay; somewhere for the long term."

"I certainly appreciate the offer. When do we start looking?"

Anakin smiled then said, "Well, we can begin today, if you wish."

"Alright. Shall we?" Padmé pointed to the door, ready to begin the search.

* * *

The Senate was about to be called into session. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine looked around the domed chamber. Several systems were absent, declaring themselves part of the Separatist movement. The empty spots clustered in one area just over his left shoulder.

Palpatine was ready to fight this war, ready to win it. The people thought he was righteous, wanting to save the Republic. Politics could be so duplicitous. Altogether, Palpatine wouldn't mind if the Republic lost this war…

Sighing and gathering his thoughts, he called the Senate into session. There was so much work to do, so much – now with the rumors that the Queen of his homeworld was dead.

They were just rumors though. Palpatine knew differently. Queen Amidala was very much alive, and she was on Coruscant. She had been for the past few days.

And that lead to a whole host of other problems with which he would have to deal.

But first, the matters concerning the Senate.

* * *

Padmé screamed as Anakin dropped the speeder they were riding into a steep dive. They hurtled straight down towards the lower levels of Coruscant, and a large grin spread across his face. In the passenger seat Padmé gripped the side of her seat so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. Finally Anakin leveled the speeder and slowed them down.

"Are you nuts?" Padmé asked him, her mouth hanging open with shock.

Anakin smiled. "Perhaps just a little. You weren't scared were you?"

Padmé let out a laugh at his audacity. "You really do think you are something, Master Jedi."

"Oh, I'm not a Master yet. You flatter me more than I'm worth."

She laughed again. Anakin smiled wider at her. "Alright, I promise to drive a little more sanely. It's just that the steering's a little loose…"

He jimmied the speeder slightly. Padmé shot blaster bolts at him with her eyes.

"Hey! I have to have a little fun sometimes!" he defended himself.

"I thought you Jedi weren't allowed to go hunting after adventure. I thought you were supposed to be _serious_." She said the last words with emphasis, making her voice sound like a wizened old school teacher.

"Yeah, there are lots of things we're not supposed to do. But you have to live at some point, right? I think sometimes that the Code has grown a little old for the times.

"Oh, here we are."

Having quickly changed the subject, he pulled the speeder over to a landing pad. With the Force, he disengaged the engine and he hopped out. Padmé disembarked with much more grace, taking her time. Anakin walked over to her side and gave her his hand to help her out of the speeder.

"May I lend a hand, My Lady?" he asked teasingly.

Just to provoke him, Padmé said nothing, instead getting out of the speeder on her own and deftly avoiding Anakin's hand. Once she had both feet planted firmly on the ground she said, "I'm not that incapacitated."

"The thanks I get for trying to help you out," Anakin said with a shake of his head.

Padmé rolled her eyes and walked into the building. She held the door open for Anakin, who followed her silently. Inside, a blue Squib stood nervously looking for someone. The alien's arms were crossed across its chest and its eyes darted to everything that moved.

"Hello…I'm looking for the land manager about the space for rent," she asked politely.

The Squib looked her over then smiled. "You've come to the right place. I'm the one you're looking for. I can take you up to the apartment now, if you wish."

"That would be wonderful," Anakin said from behind Padmé.

"Alright then. Right this way." The blue Squib walked away at a fast pace. Padmé scampered to keep up with her.

"So may I ask why you're here?" Padmé asked. She knew Squibs were well networked together, and usually remained close to those networks.

"Oh, I just got stuck here on Coruscant, and I'm heading off back home. Need to get rid of the space, you know. Have to get home! It's been too long," she hurriedly explained. As she spoke of home, she got an extra bounce in her step.

Anakin tried not to smile. He'd heard that Squibs were very energetic, and this one sure fit the profile. However, he also heard they were stiff to bargain with. He hoped this one would be willing to offer a reasonable rate for the apartment; he was not up for taking on a bartering match with this one.

The Squib entered a security code and unlocked the door. She stepped inside and Padmé followed. Anakin stepped in behind her and nearly collided with her when she suddenly stopped in her path. He stepped to the side; instinctively he put his hand on her back to let her know he was passing by her.

The Force jolted through his hand.

He felt as if he could feel Padmé's very lifesource, radiating through her into him.

Every sense he had attuned to the Force intensified and the sense of power washed over him, feeling that he was encountering something sacred. It overwhelmed him. Almost scared, he withdrew his hand and wondered what he had just felt. Anakin shook his head; there would be time to meditate over it later back at the Temple.

Padmé took a quick look around the apartment. It was quite small, with just one small bedroom, the meager central room and connected kitchen, and a tiny refresher unit that felt like it had been added as an after thought.

"I'll take it," she said with finality.

Anakin stared at her. "What? You haven't even looked around –"

She turned to him. "It's perfect. I don't need that much space…it's just me."

"If you're sure."

"I am."

"How much rent do you want?" Anakin asked the Squib.

She looked him over, thinking.

"Five hundred Ditaries and you can have it. You can keep it."

Anakin's eyebrows went up. This was odd – he was expecting to do a little bit of bargaining. What the Squib was asking for was almost ridiculous; no one in their right mind would outright sell an apartment for that little. Warily he reached out with the Force, and sensed that the Squib meant them no harm. She merely was desperate to rid herself of the space and get back home.

"Alright. Five hundred Ditaries. You have your apartment sold," he said calmly. Padmé looked over at him and smiled. In only four days they had managed to find her a place to live. "We have the money with us, if you wish to take it now."

The Squib glanced out into the hallway warily, shifting on her feet and saying, "Physical credits are worth more to me than electronic ones."

"What are you so afraid of?" Anakin asked, reaching to pull out the money. As they had been standing here, the Squib had been getting more and more anxious. Now Anakin didn't have to reach out to feel it.

"Surely you must know, Jedi, that the war is coming to Coruscant. Is it not so wrong for me to want to get home, to the lands and people I know? Things are not as well as they seem."

Anakin hid his surprise at the fact that she hinted at his being a Jedi with a little scorn. He held the money out to her. With that, she reached out to take the money. Not saying another word, she left the apartment, apparently on her way back home.

"So, Master Jedi, do you always travel with that much money?"

"Do you just call me that to irritate me?" Anakin said, exasperated.

"Perhaps."

Padmé turned to investigate the rest of the apartment they just purchased. She peeked inside at the refresher unit, satisfied that it was sanitary enough, and the small kitchenette would serve her purposes.

"To answer your question," Anakin called out when she stepped over to the kitchen area, "I got permission to carry the money for the reason that I just used it for. I figured that having a little currency would help to make a down payment, if necessary."

"Well, it turned out to work quite nicely. Now, just to get some furniture," Padmé said, surveying at the rest of the apartment.

It was, after all, quite bare.

Anakin smiled, having an idea about where they could get some furnishings for her. As they stepped outside the apartment and got back in the speeder, he felt a twinge of sadness. In the four days that they had searched for a living space, he had grown quite attached to Padmé's company. He wasn't sure how she felt, but he knew he was going to miss her.

* * *

"The Separatist movement has fought the Republic for too long a time now. For the past couple months, we have lived in a state of tentative peace. We find that systems still fall prey to their clone armies – and when those armies have conquered, droid armies replace the living."

Palpatine's voice rang out solidly in through the circular senate chamber, calling the Senate to the next matter of business.

Obi-Wan looked to Mace and Yoda, muttering, "Sending droids to do a person's job…that's just despicable." His thoughts went back to the fight against the Hutts a week or so ago. He shook his head. The two Masters didn't reply, instead they intently watched the Senate.

"I hereby call for a permanent army, to replace the existing temporary volunteer army, to be raised up in defense of the Republic," he said with his voice jumping up in volume a few notches. Immediately voices sprang up in protest.

"Alderaan does not concur with this motion! The Republic has no need to maintain a permanent army!" Bail Organa floated to the center, circling around the Chancellor's podium. "Alderaan moves to continue using the troops we have."

"Ithor seconds the motion! The Republic has never had an army nor needed one! Let the Separatists have their share of the galaxy if they wish – it is despicable that we should lower our standards to fight them on their level!" The hammer-headed Ithorian floated up next to Bail Organa.

"Bothawui agrees with the Supreme Chancellor! An army must be maintained – our planets must be defended! If we do not stop the Separatists, soon Coruscant will be under their control!" The Bothan senator clicked on his beeping comlink to hear a rather rude message coming from an anonymous senator:

"_You just want an army so you can defend your precious space! Get out of the senate!_"

The furred alien quickly shut the thing off angrily.

"What Corellia wants to know is this: how much would the army cost and where would it be stationed? What system would have that grand pleasure?"

Unruly chanting broke out as rival systems volunteered each other for the task.

Mace winced slightly, and Obi-Wan felt it too. It would take a long time for a location to be decided. Exemplified before them was the very reason the Republic was falling apart. Delegatees no longer worked for the greater good – but for their own interests. There was no motive to remain true to the constituents Senators represented, only to the special interest groups funding their campaigns.

Democracy, the Jedi knew, was rotting from the core. There were whispers that they might have to extricate themselves from the galactic government, as they took no political sides. More radical Jedi, ones that rumors said had turned to the dark side during the wars, believed that the Jedi should not only leave the Republic, but _become_ the Republic.

This motion was immediately disregarded and banished by the Council. Jedi were the protectors of peace and justice, the Republic itself, not the enforcers of a tyrannical ruling class. Or even that tyrannical ruling class itself, as the rogue Jedi suggested.

One senator floated to the center of the hall and a tall, dark haired human took the stand.

"Carida offers its services to the Republic for building a base for a volunteer army and facilities to train such an army."

Obi-Wan swore he saw the senator give a side glance to the Chancellor, a look of alliance. It chilled him, and he looked back at Mace and Yoda. Mace had an expression as if to say, _I saw it too_. Yoda turned back to watching how the voting would hold.

Carida received the vote, if a permanent army was activated it now had a permanent training base.

The next vote was the big one, to pass a bill for the Chancellor to raise his defense forces. A static energy hung over the senate hall as each senator cast his or her vote. The silence weighed heavily as the votes were tallied. It was a close one, a narrow victory.

The Chancellor finally, after years of the Separatist threat, had his army.

Once more Obi-Wan looked back to Yoda. The little green Jedi said nothing, reflected no emotion. He blinked slowly once then started walking away. Without word Mace followed him and Obi-Wan, wondering what the two Masters were thinking, went after them.

* * *

"It's not much, but it certainly will do! Thanks so much!" Padmé said as she enveloped Anakin in a hug. They had just finished bringing some things over from the Temple, making the little place more livable. Everything was now arranged in its new space. She took a second look at the room and broke the hug with Anakin.

"Oh…maybe we should move that couch over just a bit," Padmé said. She bit her lip. The couch was heavy and awkward to move.

Closing his eyes, Anakin reached out to the Force. With a sharp inhale, he found the couch and gave it a slight nudge. He cracked on eye open, looking at the Queen.

"Is that suitable, your majesty?"

She nodded with a smile. "You know, you Jedi are proving to be more and more handy to have around."

Anakin blushed slightly, nodding. Now that Padmé was fully moved in, his task was over. In just a few minutes he would have to head back to the Temple and meet up with Obi-Wan. He sighed mentally, and tried to be thankful that she was at least close so he could stop by and say hello on occasion.

Padmé plunked down on the chair, sighing. Tired, she rubbed her eyes. Her stomach rumbled a request for nourishment. By the time she and Anakin got her few scattered things together and the furniture moved over from the Temple, it was nearing dinner time. She leaned back in the chair, taking a moment for herself. Anakin stood where he was, unsure of what to do.

"Would you like some dinner? There is a small kitchen, and I have a few things…I stocked up yesterday after dinner at the Temple." Padmé rose to her feet and motioned with her thumb to the tiny offset room that served as a kitchen, if it could be called that, at the back of the apartment.

Before answering, Anakin looked her over. She was in a simple tunic, blue, and pants. Her dark hair was free of its usual bun, and Anakin realized it was a lot shorter than he remembered it. Obi-Wan would be expecting him back at the Temple soon, but Anakin could just tell him the move took a little longer than expected. Something in him wanted to stay and be with her for as long as he could.

"Sure, that'd be fine," he finally responded.

"Alright." Padmé moved into the kitchenette. "I'll warn you now; I'm not much of a cook."

"I'm sure you can't be all that bad. After all, you've lived so far."

"True, but we had cooks on Naboo. I didn't have to do much cooking."

In about twenty minutes she had a nice salad and sautéed Brillion steakon the table. Anakin ate slowly, watching her.

"See, your cooking isn't so bad," he said.

"You're just trying to make me feel better."

Grateful that he had a mouthful of food, Anakin merely nodded. He was trying to make her feel better; he wanted her to be happy in her new home – no matter how temporary it may be. However he wasn't sure how to tell her this without giving her the wrong impression.

_What wrong impression? You know very well what impression you're trying to give._

"It's so different from home. It's just so strange. I'm used to being able to…" Padmé trailed off. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. Sometimes memories are all we have left. We have to keep them with us – it's the only way we keep those we lost alive," Anakin offered quietly. The words brought up a memory of his mother, standing there, letting him walk away with Qui-Gon without so much as a single protest

"_The choice is yours alone, Annie,"_ she told him that day.

Living with her, despite the slavery, had more freedoms than his life with the Jedi now. Not even the Jedi could prevent him from making his own choices.

Padmé looked at him, her fork halfway to her mouth. "My family…I never told you…"

"I just had a feeling about it," Anakin shrugged. The truth was that by being around her, he got fleeting images of what happened to her and her family whenever she remembered it. "Letting them go doesn't even mean forgetting them – forgetting them is the betrayal, not letting them go."

The Queen took in his words, brown eyes focused on his face. "You really have grown up, Annie."

The nickname came out of her mouth without her realizing it.

He half-smiled in return.

_Annie. _

"_Go now, and don't look back. Don't look back." _The last words Shmi Skywalker said to her only son. The greatest decision he ever made, all without protest from her, only encouragement to do what his heart told him to do.

Making his choice, regardless of the Code, Anakin reached across the table to take her hand. Halfway, he stopped.

Touching her in such a way – it was a gross breach of some internal code of etiquette. Feeling stupid Anakin forced himself to finish his plate, the food no longer having any taste to him. He set his fork down, and stood up.

"I'm sorry, I should be going," he said apologetically. Padmé looked up at him, startled.

"Oh." She got up to walk him to the door, unsure of what to say. "Thank you for everything, Anakin."

"You're welcome. It was an honor to help you." Anakin stopped in front of the door.

The Queen stepped up next to him. As he looked her over, he wanted nothing more than to stay here forever with her. He could help her; he could protect her from ever having to go through such tragedy again.

_No. You still are a Jedi. You know you have to leave._

As he reached for the control panel to open the door, something in Padmé's expression changed. A frown took over her smile and her eyes squeezed shut as if she were about to break down in tears at any second. Anakin pulled his hand away from the door, not sure of what to do.

He took in a breath only to have it stop short before reaching his lungs. He was being smothered by –

By Padmé.

Anakin froze.

All the thoughts going through his mind ground to a halt. Holding Padmé close was something he wanted to do, and now that she was he did not know what to think. He tried to make some kind of move, say something, but nothing happened.

On the other hand, Padmé buried her face against his chest. Her arms squeezed him even tighter, not wanting to let him go.

A wave of emotion jolted through him – straight from the Force.

Belonging. Understanding. Care. These were all the things Padmé was, both in the physical world and the Force. Concerns for his mother, worries over being the right Jedi all melted away in her arms.

Without thinking about it anymore, he put his arms around Padmé. The big brown cloak he wore almost completely enveloped the both of them. Feeling that perhaps he and Padmé knew more about each other than it first seemed, he leaned his head down next to hers and pulled her as close as he could.


	6. Chapter 6

To my readers: Unfortunately, I am having major computer problems...but this does not mean I am abandoning the fic! It will just be a couple more days than usual before I update after this chapter - when I get my new computer up and running, and all files transferred. So hang in there, the fic will be finished and hope to catch you on the flipside when I have a computer that is stable! In the meantime...I present chapter 6! Enjoy!

6

"Master Jedi, are you not sure we can't have peace and adopt the technology of cloning?" Supreme Chancellor Palpatine questioned, almost begging.

"Peace yes, clones no," Yoda said emphatically. He tapped his walking stickon the floor for extra measure.

"Why are these clones so horrible? The Jedi have always protested their existence, and I have never been able to understand why. All they are is life."

"Life yes, and life no. Life that should not be are they. Allowed to be they cannot."

"But I thought that the Jedi favored all life, in all forms."

Yoda shook his head, and blinked. The Supreme Chancellor just didn't get it.

"Allow this Republic to split you cannot. Allow cloning to continue you cannot. Like war I do not, but war has come. Peace I would prefer, but peace the people do not want. On war they insist."

"Master Yoda, I would call for a peace conference if you thought it best."

Yoda just looked at him. He sensed what possibly could be mockery in the Chancellor's voice, but the feeling passed. The Chancellor could not help it if the galaxy he served persisted on being belligerent.

"Support war, I do not. Support war, the rest of the Jedi do not."

"Master Yoda, do you not realize that war is here. There is no stopping it – it's been here for the past few years now, and it will continue unless we take every measure to stop it."

Yoda merely looked at him. His face remained its constant calm.

Palpatine stepped closer to the small little green Jedi.

"I do not think you understand the severity of this problem. These Separatists are threatening to ruin the Republic. They nearly have already. Surely you remember the disaster of Nubia – and how the loss of the main gateway to the Correllian Run almost cut the Core from the rest of the galaxy."

True it was that the Separatists controlled Nubia. The loss of the system left the Republic reeling. The system was the second major gateway to the Correllian Run, after Corellia itself. By cutting the Republic off from the trade route, they also ensure that the Hydian Way was bisected; leaving the only route that spanned the galaxy broken. Republic traffic had to now skirt around the area, far into the Core and often far of its way.

The Chancellor continued to speak, "If the Separatists destroy the Republic, they will destroy you. They have no great love for the Jedi Order."

"Forget do you, Chancellor, that fight the wars of the people the Jedi do not. Sworn to protect this Republic are we. Not to fight its wars for it that only tear it apart!"

For the first time that Palpatine had heard, Yoda sounded very irritated. He mentally smiled to himself.

"Perhaps you forget, Jedi," Palpatine said, lowering his voice menacingly and leaning closer to Yoda so that only he would hear his words, "what the meaning of protecting this Republic is."

Yoda simply stared at the Chancellor. For the first time in years, Yoda felt truly angry. Furthermore, he was also speechless for the third or fourth time in his long life. He simply blinked at the politician, unsure of what to make of this masked verbal threat.

"I see…" Palpatine stood up. "Well, I must be leaving then. Thank you for your insight, Master Jedi. May the Force be with you."

Palpatine bowed and left the room. He was frustrated, the Jedi would not help him and it was their help he needed most. Walking down the hallways, he happened to come by young Anakin Skywalker.

"Master Anakin! What a surprise! How are you these days?" he called out to the young boy.

"Supreme Chancellor! I'm fine, thank you! And how bout yourself, Chancellor?" Anakin politely replied.

"I have seen better days, young Jedi. I have certainly seen better days. I was just in talking to Master Yoda about the current events…" Palpatine hoped the boy would take the bait.

"Oh, the cloning? I don't know…it all seems rather fuzzy to me. Besides, who am I to decide? I'm no master yet!" Anakin joked, blushing.

"How is your Jedi career coming along?"

"Pretty good…although I wouldn't quite call it a career."

"What would you call it? That's what it is, is it not?"

Anakin shifted his feet. "I don't see my training and service with the Order as a career, Chancellor. It's more like a way of life…a way to see that the peoples of the galaxy have someone to protect peace and justice for them."

"Yes…but it is it the right of the Jedi to step in on people's lives and issues? Shouldn't people just be allowed to solve their own problems?" Palpatine prodded.

"We don't invade lives, Chancellor. That's not how it works. Someone calls out for help and we come. We then give that help." Anakin did his best to answer the question. Truthfully, he wasn't completely sure about it himself.

"That's not what some people of the galaxy think, though. There is an awful lot of anti-Jedi sentiment out there. And it's not going away anytime soon. Did you know Master Yoda is against your fighting in the war?"

Anakin shook his head.

Palpatine sighed then changed directions. The boy just wouldn't take the leads he was giving him.

"Anakin, how long has it been since you've seen your mother?"

That got the boy's attention. His head snapped up, and he looked directly at the Chancellor.

"I know it has been quite some time for you…I just wondered when you had last heard from or seen her."

Anakin took a moment before answering. "It's been over ten years, Chancellor. The last time I saw her was when I left with Master Qui-Gon."

"I see," Palpatine said, nodding. "I was just thinking. I could probably help you go see her, if you like. You know, put in word for you with Master Obi-Wan that you need a break and should have a chance to go see your mother. He hasn't given you that yet."

"Yeah…" Anakin pondered for a moment. "Could you really help me see her, though?"

"I'd be more than happy to, Anakin."

Anakin smiled thoughtfully. "Thank you very much, Chancellor. I don't know what to say – this means a lot to me."

"Don't worry about it, Anakin. I like to help whomever I can. And if you ever…need anything in the future, you can reach me here."

Palpatine gave him a small square of flimsiplast with his name and a communications code printed on it. Anakin took it gingerly, and muttered another thank you.

It really was a shame. The boy could be so polite. Palpatine suppressed the urge to smile and made his way out of the Temple. It was time to see to other business. Anakin Skywalker would come later.

* * *

_Snap-hiss_. 

Anakin thumbed the lightsaber on. The light blue blade shot out, casting a glow onto the white wall of his room. After looking at it for a second, he turned it off. Then he ignited it again, and then back off. Palpatine's words kept going through his head; he wondered how the Chancellor really felt about the Separatist problem.

Furthermore, he wondered just how the Chancellor could persuade the Jedi Council to let him go see his mother. After all, none of the other Jedi were allowed to take off and pay their families a surprise visit. Then again, his circumstances were different. The Council had to know that he had more of an attachment to his old home, his only family, than the others.

Anakin sighed.

Perhaps this was why they had been hesitant in training him.

Setting his lightsaber on the nightstand next to his bed, Anakin laid back. Already he was listless, and he had only been back to the Temple for a day. His thoughts wandered back to Padmé, and especially back to that hug they shared just before he left. At first, that moment had been incredibly awkward, and then after he gave in it became something that would not leave his mind. The feeling of her next to him, so close, so warm…

_Let it go! You know it's forbidden! Obi-Wan would kill you if he found out, and the other Masters…do you want to just throw everything you've dreamed of away?_

It was just so hard when Padmé acted first; doing the things he longed to do himself. He reasoned that she hugged him first, she initiated the contact. Was he supposed to stand there and not do anything?

Anakin doubted that even Obi-Wan could be that rude. He was merely helping a friend.

That was a lie too. Anakin knew all too well what he was doing – and only after a few days of knowing the Queen he was falling to pieces like some nerf-hearder adolescent in the holofilms.

_Jedi do not form attachments. _The words echoed in his head, exactly the way he knew Obi-Wan would say them.

But the attachment was there. It had been there from that very first day that she walked into his shop thirteen years ago.

Anakin rolled over, trying to force his mind to shut down so he could sleep. No one ever said that being a Jedi lead to this kind of problem. Frustrated, he punched his pillow a couple times then settled down and closed his eyes.

* * *

A few days later, having spent them wandering around the Temple and halfheartedly practicing with his lightsaber, Anakin got called to the High Council. Confused, he was rarely summoned without Obi-Wan, he made his way up the Temple. He entered the Council chamber humbly, and was comforted to see Obi-Wan already there. 

"Hello, Master," Anakin said cheerfully. Obi-Wan nodded his head in acknowledgement and smiled at his Padawan. Anakin turned to Yoda and Mace Windu and bowed. "Hello, Masters."

"And hello to you, young Skywalker," Mace said gently.

"You still miss your mother, don't you?" Adi Gallia asked him.

Anakin turned to face her.

"Yes," he said nervously. This was most unusual; the Council did not generally talk of his mother.

"How would you like to see her?" the Jedi woman asked him.

The young Jedi's jaw dropped slightly.

"I'm – I'm – excuse me?" Anakin stammered. Certainly he wasn't hearing them properly. The question instantly made his heart race, the blood pounding in his ears, leaving him deaf. Just the very idea, seeing his mother…

"We know you wish to see your mother, and so we have decided that these past thirteen years have been long enough," Ki-Adi Mundi replied.

"Go to Tatooine you shall," Yoda added. "Find her and bring her back you may to find her a new home."

"What about Master Obi-Wan?"

"I'm to stay here. The Council and I feel you are ready to take this on your own. After all, this is a deeply personal matter," Obi-Wan said from behind him.

It had to be a dream. His mother…her loving smile, her joy at seeing her only son again after all these years. Once more he could hear, the blood no longer pounding in his ears. The Masters were not kidding. Afraid that they would notice his shaking hands he buried them in his robes. Finally he managed to find his voice.

"When do I leave?"

"As soon as you wish," Mace informed him.

A smile broke out on Anakin's face. His eyes sparkled; the Council did not need these clues to read his excitement. It rang through the Force, and even the Masters could not help but catch it.

"Thank you, Masters, thank you very much," he said, bowing deeply.

_To bad Padmé isn't here. She'd be so happy – she knows what Mom means to me_, he thought

"May the Force be with you in your journey," Mace called out as Anakin turned to leave.

"And also with you," he replied over his shoulder. He did not see the look that Yoda gave the rest of the Council – they had done well by their decision.

Later that day, Anakin hopped into a Jedi starfighter. He would have preferred to take the one he continuously labored over and customized, but the engines he had on it would not be able to make the long jump through hyperspace needed to get to Tatooine. The R4 droid accompanying him beeped at him as he punched in the coordinates. Adjusting his communicator, Anakin settled in and took off.

"That's right, R4, we're going to Tatooine. I'm off to find my mother."

_After thirteen years too many_.

Deftly navigating the Coruscanti atmosphere, Anakin made it to open space within a few minutes.

"R4, punch it!"

Anakin was squashed into his seat as the starfighter blasted into hyperspace. The smile on his face was stuck there from the force of gravity. When the ship had settled into hyperspace, Anakin made himself comfortable for the journey, sinking into a hibernation trance.

Several hours later, Anakin woke; something had pulled him out of the trance, something through the Force. He shook his head to clear his mind and looked at the display before him. He would soon arrive at Tatooine. Looking back out at the hyperspace tunnel, he settled back into the Force, feeling outwards for what had disturbed him.

He knew what it was – his mother.

Something was terribly wrong.

"R4?"

The droid bleeped in return.

"Can this ship go any faster? I need to get to Tatooine as fast as I can."

A second of silence passed then the droid warbled back to him.

"Blast," Anakin cursed to no one in particular. The starfighter was going as fast as it could. He let out a groan of frustration, and tried to focus back on the Force, knowing that time would pass much faster in hibernation.

Serenity and peace of mind eluded him.

Slightly frustrated, Anakin thought back to Padmé, but then decided against it. Since he had not seen her since the day they found her apartment, dwelling on her would bring no new revelations. Instead, someone unexpected drifted into his thoughts – Chancellor Palpatine. He wondered if he had anything to do with the Council's choice to let him go after his mother. It was not entirely impossible, after all.

Anakin sighed. This was a dead end road too. Anxious, he shifted in his seat.

Just then, R4 beeped at him, letting him know that it was time to come out of hyperspace.

"Thank the Force," Anakin muttered to himself. He discharged the hyperdrive booster ring cradling the starfighter and flew down to enter Tatooine's atmosphere. Flying by memory he navigated to Mos Espa, landing in one of the many empty docks.

Anakin hopped out of the starfighter, and the heat of the desert planet hit him, making him sweat instantly. He rolled his shoulders, trying to work out the tension from the flight. Walking out of the spaceport, he pulled the hood of his robe over his head. Twenty minutes later, after getting lost only once, he managed to find Watto's old shop.

As he walked in, someone else stormed out – a rather angry Rodian. Watto sputtered a few curses after the green alien then turned to put the credits in his hands away.

"Hello Watto," Anakin said in Huttese. Watto turned around, wings flapping.

"What, what?" he said, expecting to see the Rodian again. When he saw the human man standing there he stopped.

"Eyy! Jedi! I did nothing, I swear! It wasn't me!" Watto exclaimed, putting his hands in the air to proclaim his innocence.

"Don't worry Watto. My business is not with you. I'm looking for my mother – Shmi Skywalker."

Watto fluttered closer to Anakin, taking a better look at him.

"Ani? Little Ani? Is it really you?" Watto stared at him for a few seconds then spoke again, "Gods, it _is_ you! My, how you grew up! Jedi and all!"

Anakin smiled halfheartedly. "My mother, please."

"Eyy, yes of course…Unfortunately I sold her a few months back. Shady fellow came in looking for a new servant…"

"Where'd he take her?"

"Out to Jabba's Palace, I think. That was it; he was looking for a new waitress for Jabba to serve on his barge."

Not sure what to say, Anakin nodded his head. "Well, thank you anyways." With that, he left the shop. Halfway to the door, he stopped and turned back to the Toydarian.

"Do you have a speeder I could borrow?" he asked his old owner.

"Why, uh, sure…out in the back, you know where I keep it," Watto replied, confused.

"Thanks," Anakin said as he walked past Watto and out to the back of the shop. He went over to the speeder and hopped in, heading out for Jabba's Palace.

It took Anakin nearly an hour to ride out to Jabba's. Once there and having parked the speeder, he made his way into the palace. Oddly the massive front gate was open, so he walked right in. Making sure to keep his hood over his head, hiding his identity, he walked silently into the audience hall. All around him, shady beings stopped their activities to look at him. Feeling that perhaps he had gone just a little too far without thinking, Anakin swallowed. He made his way to where the Hutt sat on his throne-like bench.

Anakin bowed deeply then spoke to Jabba in Huttese. "Oh, wonderful Jabba, I come in peace. I am only looking for someone recently employed in your services."

The Hutt merely looked at him, blinking his large, golden eyes.

"Jedi! Jedi poodoo!" The Hutt spat. "You have come here to rob me of yet another one of my precious slaves! You offer nothing in return!"

"Your highness, I have come prepared to pay you if it is necessary. I merely wish to see Shmi Skywalker."

"HAHAHA!" Jabba boomed. "Shmi Skywalker! Hehehe! Can you not see that I have just regained control over my Palace; can you not see that just earlier this day there was a fight here?

"Perhaps if you, Jedi, had been here earlier you would have been able to stop it! You Jedi always claim to be keepers of the peace! But no! You do not do your duty – and so Shmi Skywalker is dead! HAHA!"

Anakin stared at Jabba, caught totally off guard.

"What – what?" he stammered.

One of the Hutt's henchmen came up next to him.

"You just missed it, Jedi. Just a couple hours ago, that slime over in the corner started a fight, and the whole place erupted in blaster fire. Jabba decided to leave him there for the time being to serve as a reminder of what not to do," the mysterious Twi'lek informed him. His white lekku twitched. "The waitress was caught in the crossfire. No small loss, she was not that pretty –"

Before the he could say anything else, Anakin whipped out his lightsaber, pointing the humming tip to the Twi'lek's throat.

"That was my mother you're talking about. I haven't seen her for thirteen years. I suggest you keep your mouth shut or suffer the wrong end of my lightsaber."

Anakin stared down the alien, his eyes narrow. The fist holding onto the lightsaber shook, making the blue blade quiver. His heart hammered.

This could not be happening. They had the wrong name, his mother was somewhere else in the Palace, she had to be alive.

Reaching out through the Force, he searched for his mother.

Nothing.

There was nothing of her at all to be found.

And that was when his control snapped. No longer thinking, Anakin brought his lightsaber back. Furious, he swung it with the intent of taking off the Twi-lek's head.

Seconds before the plasma beam connected with the alien's neck, Anakin froze. He gave the Twi'lek a steady glare, anger burning in his eyes.

_No! _he shouted to himself. _You can't do this._

_Yes I can. They killed her._

Shaking, this time from the realization of what he almost did, Anakin shut the lightsaber off. The Twi'lek made no attempt to move, afraid that the unstable Jedi would lose control again.

Looking at him again, Anakin forced himself to regain control of his anger. Horrified at the act he almost committed, taking an innocent life, he turned on his heel and disappeared from the chamber.

Outside, he dropped to the ground, letting out a wail of anguish. He was too late. The disturbance that hit him in his flight was his mother dying, he knew it now.

Sinking down into the sand, everything froze in Anakin's mind. This was just impossible. There were a thousand things he wished he could go back and do over again – anything that might get him here sooner to save his mother. After all, he was the Chosen One; he was supposed to have such power over the Force, he should be able to travel back in time…

Sobbing, Anakin gripped the side of his head with his hands. His skull felt like it was going to crack apart into two halves. The fury in his chest choked his breathing, his heart pounded so hard it was going to explode. Tears ran down his cheeks, hot and angry.

"_Don't look back…"_

The last words she ever said to him. The last words she ever would say to him, and yet he knew all those years that he would see her again. For the first time, the Force lied to him.

He had just missed her by mere hours, mere _minutes_. Someone had to have known he was on his way; they had to have wanted to kill her. Anakin knew he wanted to find them – put them through what they unleashed on him.

Everything was just going wrong.

His feelings were beginning to betray him: he was feeling things for Padmé he should not, the anger over his mother's death was threatening to consume him…Anakin looked up to find he was alone. He took a ragged breath, trying to gather himself together.

He was a Jedi.

He was the Chosen One.

He should have better control over himself than this.

Trying to hide the tears from anyone that might come along, he put his shaking hands to his face. The tears had stopped, yet he was still frozen in place. For a long time Anakin sat there on the ground, completely alone.

* * *

Yoda sat on his round meditation cushion, sensing something deeply painful in the Force. His eyes squeezed shut tighter in his meditation. He tried to focus on the source of the emotion, but it was hard to find. 

Feeling further out, the sensation became stronger. Yoda sank deeper into concentration, drawing on the Force even more.

And then it hit him – pure, unadulterated pain. The strength of it almost startled the old Jedi Master.

Anakin Skywalker.

The pain rolled through the Force in waves, and Yoda knew something must have gone terribly wrong with the boy's mother. For the first time since he gained the status of Master, Yoda was unsure of what to do. Shutting down the connection, the strength of the emotion starting to make his heart break, Yoda came out of his meditation. He carefully got down from his perch, picking up his gimer stick.

_Most unfortunate this is, most unfortunate indeed. A great shame for Skywalker to suffer like this so early in life…great repercussions it will bring…_Yoda thought to himself.

Leaving the meditation chamber, he sought out the person who knew Anakin best: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

* * *

In the spaceport, Anakin clambered into the starfighter. His body had gone completely numb after he managed to haul himself off the ground. Mindlessly, he started up the small craft, and took off. Once he was safely in hyperspace, he vowed never to come back to Tatooine. As far as he was concerned, the Hutts could keep it. 

Anakin attempted to contact Obi-Wan through the ship's communication device, but his Master did not respond.

That was odd. Usually Obi-Wan could be reached whenever he needed him, no matter where he was in the Temple. He frowned to himself. Next, he tried Yoda.

Nothing.

Anger started to well up in him again.

_These are the people who are supposed to care the most about me. Where are they when I need them? Especially Obi-Wan! How could he just leave me stranded like this?_

_They don't care about you, _a tiny part of him thought in the back of his mind.

He told himself there had to be some explanation but he did not believe it. Instead, he decided to try something else.

Anakin punched in another communication code, his heart pounding. It was the Chancellor had given it to him some time back, saying that if Anakin ever needed someone to talk to and there was no one else, he could reach him. Anakin took the code out of respect, but had never attempted to contact Palpatine. Now he couldn't think of anyone else to try.

"Supreme Chancellor Palpatine speaking. How may I help you?"

A small blue version of the Chancellor appeared on Anakin's holodisplay.

"Uh, sorry to bother you, Chancellor. This is Anakin Skywalker," Anakin nervously replied. He was starting to think that maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Oh, hello, young Anakin! What can I do for you?"

"Well, I just – you gave me – I wanted to say thank you if you had a hand in convincing the Council to let me go find my mother," he stammered. Even from the depths of space, Palpatine made Anakin feel on edge. There was something about the man he definitely did not like.

"I hardly had a hand in it, but I appreciate your gratitude. I take it you are on your way back?" Palpatine folded his hands across his lap.

"Yeah."

"And did you find her?"

Anakin's eyebrows furrowed as he thought over how to reply. He got the distinct feeling that Palpatine knew something he did not.

"I was too late…she had just died before I got there," Anakin admitted. His eyes dropped down, and he blinked a couple times. He did not want Palpatine to think he was weak.

"I'm terribly sorry, Anakin. That must have been quite a shock."

Anakin nodded in response. "If I had gotten there, just a little sooner, even just by a mere hour or two, I may have been able to save her."

"It's okay to feel angry, young Jedi."

Anakin's head snapped to attention. "But anger is against the Code. There is nothing I can do to change things. Anger achieves nothing." He cited the rhetoric mindlessly.

"You can feel anger as long as you do not act upon it. Anger is a natural feeling. _Denying_ your anger achieves nothing. Do not think that the Jedi Code cannot be interpreted. Many things have many meanings. You should be mindful of this."

Shifting in his seat, Anakin felt irritated that the Chancellor was giving him a lecture. He did not want a lecture, he wanted sympathy. He wanted someone to comfort him, and tell him that everything would work out. Almost as if he could sense this, Palpatine spoke again.

"Don't worry Anakin. You'll find a way to look through this. Even though the Jedi, especially Master Kenobi, are to blame I know you will come through this. You are a strong young man.

"I must go now…business, as you know. I wish you luck in returning safely. May the Force be with you."

With that, Palpatine cancelled the connection and his hologram vanished.

"…_the Jedi, especially Master Kenobi, are to blame…" _A few of the politician's last words bounced around Anakin's head.

He did not think this was quite correct, but there was a certain grain of truth to it. After all, it had been the Jedi that kept him from going back to his mother. If they had let him go, he might have been able to save her…

Feeling emotionally exhausted Anakin sank back into his pilot seat and fell into a troubled sleep.

R4's beeps jolted him out of his rest hours later. Anakin blinked to clear his eyes, and realized that he was staring at Coruscant. Already, the R4 droid had brought them out of hyperspace. Without a word, Anakin flew down to the city. Within a few minutes, he landed at the Temple.

As he walked through the corridors, to where the speeders were docked, he could not help but feel anger at all the Jedi around him.

It was their fault. They had kept him from going to his mother. The peers he had trained with did not understand his connection to his past; they were all taken from their homes at too young an age to recall their families clearly. Anakin envied them for it, sometimes remembering his mother was too much of a burden to bear.

Now all he had were memories.

Hiding his frustration, rather than trying to understand it, Anakin made his way to the speeder berth. Somehow he knew that there was no use in trying to find Obi-Wan. He was not at the Temple. Anakin didn't care – there was someone else he could go to that would understand the loss of family much more than Obi-Wan.

At his destination, he hopped in the nearest speeder, heading off for Padmé's. As he drove out into the city, a crack sounded above him in the sky. Anakin looked up to see heavy clouds covering the sky.

He sniffed the air.

Rain.

And of course the speeder he drove did not have a top. He cursed to himself, annoyed that he was now going to be soaking wet by the time he got to Padmé's.

As he flew, the scene of Jabba telling him his mother was dead played over and over in his mind. He shook his head, he had to keep his concentration on flying or he would crash. Then he would be of no good to anyone.

Not even the Jedi.

He was the Chosen One, he was supposed to bring balance to the Force…but not like this he couldn't. Not like this.

Anakin parked the speeder and darted inside, completely soaked. The rain was falling heavily outside now, and Anakin had spent the past ten minutes out in it. He dashed inside the turbolift that would take him up to Padmé's. His thoughts tumbled as he sped upwards. Another surge of pain threatened to make him start crying again and he fought it back. Once he was with Padmé…it wouldn't matter….she would understand.

He stepped out of the turbolift, and took the few steps across the hall to Padmé's door. He knocked lightly, his robes dripping on the floor. He gave his head a shake, to clear some of the water from his hair.

The door opened.

"Anakin!" Padmé said, startled.

"Anakin?" another voice said, and Obi-Wan stepped up behind her.

Anakin stared at them, caught completely by surprise. Sensing the awkward moment, Obi-Wan excused himself.

"I should go…I'll see you back at the Temple, Anakin."

Obi-Wan stepped past him out into the hallway and got inside the turbolift. Either he did not notice Anakin's distraught condition, or he knew it was not the time to bring it up. Regardless, Anakin felt a burst of anger at his Master.

_At the time I need him most, he's here…doing the Force knows what…_

"Anakin? Are you alright?" Padmé asked him, stepping aside so he could come inside.

Without a word he walked into the apartment and sank to the floor. He curled up, covering his head with his hands.

"She's dead. They let me go find her and I was too late. My mother's dead, I promised I would help her and come back for her someday, and I failed…"

Anakin let everything out and started to sob. He rocked back and forth on the floor in pain.

Padmé kneeled down next to him, putting her hand on his back to soothe him. Obi-Wan just told her that he went to search for his mother, and that the Jedi were expecting him back any time soon. She was hoping to see him again, but certainly not like this.

"They killed her, Padmé. They killed her. There was no reason to do it, but they did. She couldn't help that she was there…blast…

"How can the Jedi expect me to do anything when I can't even save my own mother? I can't even keep a simple promise to come back and save her, and they want me to balance the Force…I don't even know what that means…and then…and then…"

Anakin wailed again in aguish. Not knowing what else to do, Padmé pulled him as much into her lap as he could. It didn't bother her that he was soaking wet. She held him tight, running her fingers through his hair.

"Shh…shhh…" she whispered in his ear. A few times she reached over and gently wiped away his tears with her hands.

Finally after a few minutes, Anakin's sobs receded. He took a couple haggard breaths, and moved away from her just enough so that he could sit up on his own. Her arms were still around him, and he leaned against her.

"I didn't know where else to go," he croaked, his voice raw from crying. "I didn't know where else to go, no one else would understand. I'm so sorry for bursting in here like this, all a mess…"

"It's okay, Anakin. It's okay. I understand," Padmé said softly.

He looked at her, and knew she understood. After all, she had witnessed her entire family's assassination.

Anakin closed his eyes. Her arms felt so good around him, the only place of warmth and comfort in the entire galaxy. He inhaled. The sweet scent of her filled his senses, cooling the temper in his blood. His pounding heart slowed down, for the first time in hours he was able to breathe again.

Opening his eyes again, he noticed her hand resting on his arm. It was so small, so delicate. He looked up at her, searching her eyes.

Her eyes were sad, reflecting his pain. Deep in them, he could see the promise that he would be alright. He got lost in her eyes, understanding things about her she did not even know.

Padmé was that rare and beautiful creature whose eyes can make others dance, whose heart can warm others.

She was an angel.

Not completely understanding the emotions going through him, Anakin wrapped his arms around Padmé. She was the only one who had been there for him; she was the only one who knew what he was going through. Still looking into her eyes, he felt himself drawn closer to her.

Padmé moved closer to him.

Shifting his weight, he moved so that their faces were level. To him, it seemed as if the Force were pulling them to each other, willing them to be together. His eyes closed again and then his lips met hers.

A jolt went through Anakin.

The Force was connected to him in a way he had never imagined possible, if he had tried, he felt like could reach out and actually _touch_ it. And in that moment, regardless of the Code, Anakin knew he had fallen in love.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello everyone! I know it's been a good few days since I could update, but finally here it is. I have a reliable computer now, so things should go at the same rate they were before. Here's chapter 7, I hope you like it. :)

7

The kink in his neck woke Anakin.

He tried to move his head to relieve the pain shooting up his neck, but there was no room to move it. Slowly he opened his eyes, not sure of where he was. He looked to the right only to come face to face with the cushion of a couch. He glanced to the left and saw Padmé's face.

She was still deeply asleep.

Stirring just a little, so as not to wake her, Anakin tilted his head up to see what his body and the Force already told him. He and Padmé were inextricably intertwined, a jumbled mess of limbs. Leaning back, Anakin took a deep breath.

Despite the kink in his neck he realized that he had slept the better that night than he had in years. Out of reflex, he gave Padmé a small squeeze with the arm that was still wrapped around her. With the slight movement his hand erupted in stinging pain. Anakin winced and realized that Padmé's weight cut off his circulation. He sank back into the Force, willing the blood vessels to open up and allow blood to flow to his hand.

The blood flowed then suddenly stopped.

His hand was no longer there.

Anakin started. He could no longer feel his hand; it did not exist to the Force. Freezing for a second, he glanced to his right.

Five pink fingers rested on Padmé's arm. With a frown he moved them, and satisfied they were in fact attached to his hand, which was still on his arm, he tried again to will the blood back into it. Instantly the sensation of pins and needles surged in his hand, but he welcomed the feeling. It meant that life was flowing in him.

Mentally, Anakin cursed the thought of having to go back to the Jedi Temple. For now he just wanted to lie here and be close to Padmé. Pushing the Jedi from his mind, he thought back to the previous day, about everything that led him here.

A dull ache rested in his heart for his mother, but he forced that aside.

In the current moment, there were more pleasant things to focus on. He remembered coming into the apartment, seeing Obi-Wan here, and collapsing on the floor in front of Padmé. The memory became a little blurry at that point; it was just a jumbled mess of him sobbing and her holding him in her arms. And then…

The single act that led Anakin to his realization of his feelings for Padmé.

_That _was something he would not forget.

Being a Jedi, Anakin did not know much about romantic love. He had seen couples fall under its graces in the holofilms, but no one around him was in a loving relationship as it was forbidden by the Code. There was no one he could talk to about how he felt, no one that would understand.

He certainly was not about to tell Padmé about his feelings – Anakin was not sure how she felt about him. She said that he had grown up, but how much of that was her being polite? Thinking it over, something scared Anakin about falling in love. It was more than just the possibility of rejection; rather, it was something on a fundamental level that frightened him.

He was a Jedi. Jedi did not love romantically. Loving someone…that could lead to lots of possibilities, and most of them not to his best interests.

"Padmé? Padmé?" he whispered softly.

"Mmm." She stirred in her sleep.

He gave her a gentle shake and she opened her eyes. For a second they struggled to focus on his face.

"Anakin?"

"I'm sorry to wake you…I – I should go…" he said quietly. "I have to get back to the Temple before Obi-Wan starts to wonder where I am."

"Huh?"

"I should be going."

"Why?"

"Because I have to."

Padmé sighed, nuzzling her head against Anakin's chest. "I don't want you to go."

"I know. I don't want to go either. But I have to."

She rolled over and got off the couch so he could leave. Anakin sat up and rubbed his eyes. His hair was messed, tufts of it sticking out in odd places, after having been soaked and then left to dry while sleeping on the couch. Padmé watched him get up off the couch, stretching out his long limbs.

Steadily he moved to the door, determined to not look back.

_This is something that cannot happen again, _he kept telling himself, over and over. _It ends when I walk out this door. _

Anakin reached out to open the door.

"Wait! Anakin!" The Queen darted over to stand next to him. "Will you come back?"

Anakin turned to face her, a knot forming in his throat. "Padmé, I…I have to go. I don't know when I'll come back."

Padmé recoiled from him, and he could see the shock on her face. "What? Just like that you never want to come back?"

"That's not what I said! I don't know when I'll come back – not that I won't ever."

_Blast, what's gotten into her?_ Anakin cursed to himself, closing his eyes. His hand still rested on the control panel to the door. He sighed. _Get hold of your feelings. You're a Jedi_.

Padmé looked at him, pleading. "So you just come over here whenever you need some help, is that it? Whenever something comes along that big Master Jedi can't handle, he has to go and use other people?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You just come over whenever you want, and you start acting like you don't care about my feelings. Things have changed. And you're just going to walk away from it all like that!"

"What?" Anakin stopped, unsure of what to say to her outburst. His mind raced in an attempt to figure out how things deteriorated to this point. "I'll have to go back to the Temple and figure it out. I just know I can't stay here."

Before the moment could get any more awkward, he opened the door to leave the apartment. This was just too much right after his mother's death.

"Why! Just tell me WHY Anakin!"

He stared at Padmé as if she were daft. Did she not know of the Code, that Jedi were not allowed to love in the form of romantic attachments? They swore a life of allegiance to the Force, there was no room for earthly love.

"Why? I'll tell you why: The Code. The Jedi Code forbids it. Now please, before you make things worse let me go. It's already hard enough. Just let me go."

"Fine! Just go!"

Anakin tried to resist the urging of the Force to stay next to her. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to make a step through the doorway and into the hallway. However, he before he could actually move, Padmé came up behind him and pushed him, letting out another "Fine!" He stumbled out of the apartment, completely shocked at her action. As soon as he was in the hallway, Padmé slammed the door behind him. He could her let out a yell of frustration at him.

Taking another deep breath, he sank against the wall of the hallway, burying his face in his hands. He stood there for a few seconds, too surprised at Padmé's anger to cry, but hurt nonetheless. For a fleeting second he wished he could just make people do what he wanted, so things would just _go right_. After a couple minutes of sorting through his thoughts, he left the building to make his way back to the Temple.

In his room Anakin collapsed on the bed. So far there had been no sign of Obi-Wan, for which Anakin was thankful as he had no idea what to tell him. He had excuses aplenty, all of which did him no good whatsoever. Obi-Wan would know they were lies.

Maybe he could just tell Obi-Wan the truth and get it all sorted out _now_.

Like that would go over well.

Obi-Wan would tell him one thing: his feelings for Padmé were forbidden and would land him a lot of trouble with the Council, perhaps even result in his expulsion from the Order.

A lot of good that would do him.

Just then, a knock sounded on his door.

"It's open," Anakin called out dully.

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan said, stepping quietly into the room.

Anakin didn't say anything.

"I sensed you were back…I just stopped by to see if you were okay. I was worried about you." Obi-Wan's face twisted into an expression of concern for the younger Jedi.

_It's Kenobi's fault_…the message from Palpatines's words bounced around Anakin's head again. With a sigh, still facing the wall, he started to tell Obi-Wan the result of his trip.

"I got there…and I was too late. Someone started a fight in Jabba's Palace and she got caught in the middle of it and died. It was all just pure chance," he said. He hated the words as they came out of his mouth, they sounded dead and hollow. He sat up to look at Obi-Wan.

Unsure of what to say, having no idea if his own family were still alive or not, Obi-Wan put his arm around his Padawan and pulled him next to him in a brotherly hug.

"I'm sorry…is there anything we can do? Anything at all? I know your mother meant a lot to you."

Anakin shook his head.

There was nothing that Obi-Wan could do now, nothing that any of the other Masters could do. It was done and over, in the past. He looked back up at Obi-Wan, another question on his mind.

"Why are the Jedi forbidden to love, Master?"

Obi-Wan sighed before answering, knowing that Anakin had stayed the night with Padmé. He forced himself to believe that Anakin was not doing anything that would compromise his vows to the Order.

"Over the years, the Code has been altered so it is better able to fulfill the needs of the Jedi, and so that we may serve the Force better. One of the Lost Twenty was expelled because of love."

"How?"

"Legend says that the Jedi fell in love with a beautiful woman – two Jedi fell in love with her, in fact. Anyways, they both became overcome by their love; it became an obsession for the both of them. They ended up dueling over the woman, and one of them killed the other.

"The High Council held a meeting about this matter, deciding that perhaps it was best for all Jedi to give up romantic attachments. Because he let his love go into obsession, and then fueled by his anger at the Council for expelling him, the last of the Lost Twenty fell to the dark side. Desperate and consumed by his obsession, he killed himself after striking her down, still believing that she had betrayed him by falling in love with the other Jedi."

Obi-Wan finished, and there was a second of silence as Anakin took in what he said. Finally, Anakin found a voice with which to respond.

"But not all the Jedi that have fallen in love turned to the dark side. Surely there had to be those that remained good, doing even greater works because of their love."

"I don't know Anakin…I just know that after that the High Council decided to forbid it. Perhaps they were afraid of another such incident occurring again – only with more disastrous results. Love is tricky, while it can start out with good intentions things can twist it so it does more harm than good."

"I thought Jedi were supposed to show unconditional compassion, an element so essential to love," Anakin said, He spread his arms apart to indicated the entire galaxy. "I mean, by showing compassion, a Jedi shows loves for all things."

"Exactly, my young Padawan. Caring and compassion for all things is a form of love. Jedi are not entirely forbidden to love, they are encouraged to love _all_. By loving all, then there is no question that any one being or thing is in a status above others.

"As you know, the Code forbids Jedi from placing status and importance on things – all is sacred to the Force. By forming one attachment to a single person, you place that person above all others, violating the law of the Force that all is sacred. Does that make sense to you?"

Anakin chewed on the inside of his cheek, thinking. After a second he nodded. He supposed it made some sense. Loving one person, a Jedi could come to place unwarranted value on them, but perhaps there could be ways to love another yet still hold true to the ways of the Force. It was impossible for him to deny the incredible sensation he felt from the Force when he was with Padmé.

"Are you going to be alright?" Obi-Wan asked. He gave Anakin a couple pats on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I think so." Anakin looked down at his hands and knotted his fingers together.

"Give me a call if you need anything. You know I'm here." Obi-Wan stood up, crossing his arms across his chest. He walked across the room and before he stepped out, he turned back and said, "Be mindful of your feelings, I would hate for something bad to befall you because of them."

With that he pulled the door shut behind him. Anakin watched it close, feeling even more confused than ever.

* * *

General San Hill paced his private quarters on his flagship _Driving Force_. Any second now he would receive a transmission, and so he paced in order to keep calm. The holoimage of the Sith Lord always made him uncomfortable. To put it frankly, he downright feared the man.

The sound of the holoemitter humming made him turn around. The blue image of the cloaked Sith Lord rested on his desk.

"I have a plan for your next battle," Sidious said in his deep voice. "The Jedi will fight, I will make sure of that, but fear not. You will be victorious."

General Hill nodded, saying, "Yes my Lord. What exactly is your plan?"

"You will attack the small world of Kashyyyk."

"The homeworld of the Wookiees, sir?" General Hill said as his eyebrows rose in disbelief. He did not like the idea of taking on the fearsome Wookiees.

"You dare to question me?" Darth Sidious hissed.

"No, no of course not my Lord." As he said the words, the General straightened so he stood tall and firm. Showing fear in front of the Dark Lord was the first thing he learned expressly _not_ to do.

A moment of silence ensued.

"You are to make your way into the Kashyyyk system, and take the planet. Once you have done so, you are to start integrating the Wookiees into your factories. They will make most excellent workers."

"You mean enslave them?" General Hill said dubiously. Slavery was something he was quite uncomfortable with.

"I mean what I mean. And you shall do as I say. The Republic will begin to make preparations for long-term war, despite the fact that they are split over even fighting it. In a month you shall make your final attack.

"Furthermore, since you seem to despise the work you do, even as it is your chosen craft, you may thank your friends in the Techno Union who unleashed this scourge on the galaxy when they discovered the science of cloning."

Sidious paused.

"You had best heed my orders if you wish to survive."

"I understand, My Lord. One question, if I may?"

Assuming the silence meant he could continue, General Hill asked, "Do you have any specific means by which you would wish us to carry out the attack?"

"You are a General, are you not?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Then…I _trust_ that you shall use the intelligence you have been given and figure out a suitable plan. I have matters I must attend to on Coruscant. It is not my place to make war. You are the general, that is your job."

"I…understand clearly, My Lord."

"Good."

The Sith Lord cut the communication and his blue image disappeared.

General Hill sighed to himself. Part of him longed to turn the forces at his command against his allies. After all, the Techno Union, creators of most of the major technological breakthroughs employed in the galaxy, did unleash the science of cloning. Sidious was right – it was a scourge on the galaxy that they were directly responsible for.

As a man of the military, General Hill pretended to be ignorant of the political happenings on Coruscant – and the schematics of that crazy man, Count Dooku. He was Sidious's influence on the Senate, having managed to keep himself free of Sidious's wrath even after the near disaster of Ansion. Dooku worked to sow fear into the Republic senators, but Hill knew that the real advantage was on a system by system basis.

Many of the planetary governments in the galaxy ran on fear.

Even the Republic ran now on it – selling fear of Separatist attack and anarchy under Separatist rule to its people.

General Hill knew that fear was good for business. It made people flock to the military. Not to mention the side benefit of wars breaking out, when fear ran too far, which gave him something to do.

Sitting at his desk, the General shook his elongated head. He wondered why Sidious would choose to attack Kashyyyk now – there were so many other important targets that could be taken. After all, the Separatists now controlled the greater part of the Corellian Run. Hill had known for months now that Corellia would be a prime target.

Not to mention the fact that a greater part of the Republic's fleet came from the Corellian Engineering Corporation.

And if you really wanted to hurt the Republic in terms of their strength, Kuat, just a short jump away from Commenor, would be better. Everyone knew the Kuatis provided the Republic with the dreaded Star Destroyers.

Or, as the Republic liked to euphemistically call them, assault cruisers.

Hill snorted at the thought. Forcing his mind away from the armaments of the Republic navy, which now had a permanent training center and was no longer strictly voluntary, he pulled up a file on Kashyyyk.

Lord Sidious commanded an attack there and so it would be.

The file came up, and Hill began to read it only to realize that it was in fact the wrong planet. His computer had come up with something quite different: a planet in the extreme backwaters of the galaxy. Just behind Hutt space, beyond Kessel, lay Honoghr.

"Honoghr," Hill read aloud to himself. For a second he puzzled over why his computer displayed this file instead of the one he requested.

Scanning it for a second, having never heard of the system, Hill found it to uninteresting. No wonder he never heard of it till now, the natives were a rural people, hardly civilized by galactic standards. Moving on, Hill reentered the request for information on Kashyyyk into the computer.

This time the computer complied and pulled up the right file for him.

As he looked the data over he realized that this would be even duller than a seminar on "Shooting a Blaster: Aiming 101" for his men. Sidious was not one to conduct a war.

The planet was mostly forested with tall worshyr trees. The Wookiees lived in villages in these trees. For the most part they employed the natural environment around them for technology – off-planet ships made of metal creating a sharp contrast to the smooth fauna covering the planet. The most daunting thing he found was that the Wookiees did in fact use blasters and were ruthless when provoked.

His troops would love this one.

Closing the document, Hill leaned back in his seat and tapped his fingers together thoughtfully.

Looking around the room, he decided that he needed a change. The walls were still the sterile white that came factory standard. Few furnishings were in the room, just his desk and a tall bookcase containing history files of ancient civilizations. History, Hill believed, was the key to winning any major offensive.

Mistakes learnt by previous civilizations were best remembered, and those not learned were best understood in the future. Civilizations rose and fell because they failed to recall the lessons taught by history.

The same ruled true on the battlefield.

Hill looked around the room again. Now that he really thought about it, he did not understand how he could have lived in such dreadful quarters these past three years.

Blue. He would have the room painted a deep blue. And he would have holoimages of famous battles placed on the walls.

Yes, the change would be very nice. And such a blatant display of war would make his Neimoidian counterparts nervous. They dreaded the business so – that was how Naboo happened ten years ago. Already that seemed ancient history.

At least Darth Sidious seemed to have learnt his lesson from _that_ disaster, and immediately sought out someone of a military mind to be his major counterpart.

Kashyyyk.

Hill had an attack to plan.

Corellia. Kuat. The other names bounced around his head. Honoghr.

Perhaps he could do something with more than just Kashyyyk alone. A smile crept onto his face. Yes. The Republic deserved nothing less.

* * *

Yoda concentrated on the Force, sinking deep into his meditation. Reaching out, he felt the hustle and bustle of the Temple and the surrounding area, then Coruscant, and finally further out into the galaxy.

Except that about a third of the galaxy was shrouded in _wrongness._

The Clones.

The Separatists were creating more and more clones by the day, and it was making the Force all the more difficult to feel in the areas they occupied. Yoda could feel the life of each clone, but the way that life resonated in the Force disturbed him, his senses dulled by their presence.

Trying to feel beyond the sense of wrong, Yoda reached out through the Force even more. What he found shocked him:

Darkness.

A definite spot of darkness clouded everything behind the clones. As he felt it, the darkness grew stronger, pushing him away. Yoda probed back only to receive a stronger shove in return.

And suddenly Yoda was back in the Temple, out of his meditation.

Opening his eyes, Yoda sighed audibly. These times were getting increasingly clouded. Never before had the Jedi Order encountered something like this in the Force. Now that there was darkness out there, meaning only one thing – a Sith lord – Yoda was even more concerned. Getting off his meditation seat, he hobbled out of the chamber to discuss his findings with Mace Windu.

* * *

Lowering his lightsaber, Anakin switched it off so that the blue blade disappeared. He panted, desperate to put oxygen back into his lungs. The older Jedi looked him overwith mild surprise on his face.

"Are you alright Anakin?" Obi-Wan said. "You've been distracted for the past few days, and I've never seen you tire so quickly in a long time."

The Padawan eyed his master, thinking over what to say. He was still struggling with the death of his mother, and with it the feeling that the Jedi were at fault. On top of that, he had been feeling something in the Force that disturbed him. He didn't know what to think of it.

Then again, these days there were a lot of things that were disturbing him in the Force. Padmé…his mother…the clones…

Anakin shook his head. He could not let himself dwell on any of them.

"I just…" Anakin stopped, not sure how to tell Obi-Wan half of the things on his mind.

"Anakin, the only way to work through your feelings is to acknowledge them. You can't bury everything," Obi-Wan said. Instantly he regretted how dogmatic he sounded.

"I don't know Master. I just can't seem to let go of my mother. Now I have dreams about her, about how she might have died. And each time I dream about her, she dies in some more horrible way…" he said, his voice choking as he spoke.

Obi-Wan stepped over to his Padawan. "Did you get so see her at all?"

Anakin shook his head, staring at the ground. "No. They gave me nothing but the news of her death."

Unable to think of a response, Obi-Wan merely nodded.

"Do you think going back–"

"No," Anakin said. He eyed Ob-Wan steadily, allowing no room for argument.

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Never had he heard Anakin sound so resolved. Unless his ears deceived him, he thought he detected slight anger in the Padawan's voice.

"Sorry, Master…it's just that I never want to go back to Tatooine. In fact, I never will. There's nothing there for me now. It is the past, after all."

Again Obi-Wan found himself startled at the words coming from Anakin. They sounded like the words of a master – a Jedi in charge of his emotions and able to let go of the things that passed out of his life. Still, he sensed something more sinister lurking beneath the surface.

He looked Anakin in the eye, and the young man looked unflinchingly back at him.

"Is there anything that brings you peace?" Obi-Wan asked tentatively.

"Well…Padmé. Aside from you, Master, she's the only friend I have – Barriss is embedded somewhere out there with some unit, she hasn't been home for months. And, you're not really a friend, but more like a father."

"You tease me," Obi-Wan said, a smile coming onto his face. "You say that just to keep me complacent."

"It's true, Master."

"I know, I know. I just like to keep you on edge." Obi-Wan looked at his apprentice. He knew that Anakin was quite alone aside from himself. "Perhaps it would do you some good to get out of the Temple some. The Force knows even I could use a break at times…"

"Really?" Anakin's face lit up, no hint of the darkness remained.

"I don't see the harm it could bring. I think a change of scenery would do you some good."

"What would Master Yoda say?"

"Do you think that we have to go to Master Yoda for every little thing? My young Padawan, I am charged with looking out for you. I don't want to have to make it an order, or bring it before the Council." Obi-Wan smiled slyly, and Anakin knew that Obi-Wan meant that Yoda would probably not approve. However, as long as Yoda did not find out…

Anakin smiled.

"Yes, Master," he replied brightly.

"Now get out of here, you scoundrel."

"Right away, Master!"

Anakin clipped his lightsaber to his belt, and darted out of the room. Shaking his head at the boy's exuberance, something he had not seen for several days, Obi-Wan thought about giving him one last word – reminding him to be mindful of his feelings and his pledge to the Jedi Order. He decided against it though, feeling that it would dampen Anakin's much-needed happiness.

"Obi-Wan?" Mace Windu called out, stepping into the lightsaber practice room.

Obi-Wan turned around, startled.

"Master Windu, what can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about a few things…where is your apprentice?" Mace eyed the room, having felt Anakin in here just a few seconds ago.

"Oh, I sent him on a few errands for me. I thought some fresh air out of the Temple would be good for him. He's been feeling so poorly for the past few days."

Obi-Wan tried his best to keep a straight face. He knew the older Master would not approve of the leave that he just gave Anakin. At the same time, it was true that Obi-Wan almost had to order Anakin to go, so what he told Mace was not exactly a lie.

Either way, Mace did not let on that he knew of the deception.

Instead Mace nodded, crossing his arms. "We need your presence with us over in the Senate building. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine needs to speak to us about something. Yoda and I thought it best if you two came with us, but if young Anakin's not here..."

"Alright. Let's go."

Obi-Wan walked past the other Jedi, heading to the speeder hangar. He wanted to get this meeting over and done with. Dealing with Chancellor Palpatine always gave him a bad feeling.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry it's been taking me so long to update lately - it should go faster now! I hope you keep reading and enjoying!

8

The rushing wind invigorated Anakin. What originally was a ten-minute flight over to Padmé's was turning into a half-hour excursion.

Flying felt so wonderful. Anakin's spirit felt free, and a giddy feeling welled up inside him. Add in the fact that he was nervous about seeing Padmé again and his heart pounded so fast it felt like one of the tiny flutter-birds native to Alderaan lived in his chest. Only a few days passed since he left her apartment, and he had made no attempt to contact her. He hoped that she would be willing to see him.

Deciding that it was time to stop playing around, Anakin turned the speeder and merged with another lane of traffic to take him to Padmé's. Anakin parked the speeder and hopped out to make his way into the building to Padmé's. In the repulsorlift he paced and tried to calm his nerves.

After all, it was just Padmé.

He rapped a several short nervous knocks on her door.

"Just a second!" he heard Padmé call out from inside. The sound of her footsteps drew closer and she opened the door.

"Anakin!" Padmé's eyes opened wide in surprise. "What…I wasn't expecting…"

"Obi-Wan thought it would be best for me to get out of the Temple for a spell," Anakin said. The words rushed from his mouth and he smiled eagerly. "I, well, I couldn't think of anywhere else to go. I wanted to see you again…after…"

"Come in, come in!"

She stepped aside so he could enter. He nodded and moved inside the apartment. Anakin looked around, arms crossed and his hands picking at a fraying spot on the inside of the large sleeves of his robes. His thoughts went back to the last time he was here. Her touch, her kiss…

He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms again and feel that warm flooding feeling, the intensity of the Force.

"I'm sorry for just bursting in here like this," Anakin said, not thinking of anything else to say.

"Please, don't worry about it. I'm glad to see you again."

"Really?" Anakin's eyebrows went up. After all, their last parting had been less than desirable.

Padmé smiled at him. "Of course. How could I not be happy to see my big Jedi protector?"

"Now you're teasing me again." Their friendly banter started, and Anakin found it hard to not go along. "You hardly need my protection now, My Lady."

"Now who's the one teasing?"

Anakin blushed.

"You're the one who got all grown up on me. I didn't ask you to become so tall."

It seemed impossible, but Anakin went even redder. He retorted, "Well, I didn't ask you to get so beautiful on me either."

"Are you flirting with me, Master Jedi?"

"Don't call me that. I'm not a master," Anakin said humbly, ignoring question. He pulled his cloak around him and sat down on the simple cream-colored couch. "I wanted to talk to you about the other day."

"Oh."

The tone in her voice made Anakin's stomach sour.

"I just wanted to say sorry for what I said to you…I didn't mean it about not coming back." He eyes went down to the floor.

Padmé came over to the couch and sat down next to him. He rubbed his hands together as he looked her over, trying to get some sense of what she was thinking through the Force. His eyebrows came together as he focused, one corner of his mouth turning down, and he was unsure of what to do now that she was next to him.

"It's okay, Anakin. I shouldn't have gotten so angry with you. It was my fault; I should have had more control than I did. I should have known that Jedi aren't allowed –"

In a bold move, his heart pounding, Anakin put his arm across her shoulders.

"Padmé, what I really wanted to say was that I don't want to have to loose you because of the Code. I still want to see you; you're one of the few people I can count as a friend. That's too special for me to loose – I don't care what happens."

"Anakin –"

"Please."

He pulled her close to him, wrapping his other arm around her. As he did so the rush from the Force surged through him. Reaching out, Anakin knew that he would feel this connection as long as he held onto Padmé.

And, for the time, all his thoughts were at peace.

Everything was calm. More importantly, everything would _work out_.

He wondered if Padmé could feel any of what he could, and so as an experiment he tried to channel some of the warmth to her. Focusing, he found the strength of the Force, and pushed it towards her. He felt her body relax and she closed her eyes. Subtly she moved closer to him. For a few seconds he held the connection then let it slowly fade away. However, he did not stop feeling his own bond to the Force.

"What was that?" Padmé whispered, eyes still closed.

"What I feel through the Force whenever I hold you close," he answered in kind. "I pushed it to you a little; I wanted to see if you could feel it too. It's what makes being apart from you so hard…it's more than just the Force."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know." He sighed, and sank back into the couch. "I don't really know what to make of anything anymore."

"Yeah," Padmé said solely to fill the silence.

A few minutes passed where Jedi and Queen held onto each other. Neither of them spoke. An understanding passed between them – they knew that they wanted to be close to each other.

"Look at us. The two little orphans," Anakin said.

Padmé let out a little chuckle and nestled closer to him.

They sat together, not saying anything. Padmé pulled her feet under her, curling up and leaning on Anakin. He kept his arm wrapped around her shoulders and leaned his head down so his cheek rested on the top of her head. Anakin took a deep breath and let it out slowly, taking in as much of the warmth of Padmé as he could. She nuzzled closer to him, burying her face against his robes.

Suddenly Anakin broke the silence.

"You're hungry."

"What?" Padmé looked up at him. "I mean, I am…but how'd…?"

"Don't worry about that." He smiled and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "How would you like to go get dinner?"

"Oh! Why, of course! Let me go freshen up so I look presentable."

Padmé darted off for the refreshed unit in the apartment before Anakin could protest. He thought she always looked presentable, but that was just his opinion. She came out just a few minutes later, and to his amazement, she did look prettier. She had pulled her hair back and braided it. Something about her face seemed to glow a little bit more. He wondered how she managed to do all of that in just a mere few minutes.

"Shall we?" He stepped up behind her, putting his hand on the small of her back.

"Where are going to go?"

"I know a place in the area," Anakin told her with a smile.

He ushered her out the door and it shut behind him. All the while he did not break his contact with her. He never wanted to let go of her again.

Outside was a different story. More than once he had to take his arm from around her so they could make way for various other beings out enjoying the pleasant evening. Each time there was room enough for them to walk side-by-side again he slipped his arm back around her waist. After just a short walk they came to a smile diner, one of Obi-Wan's favorites that had grown on Anakin.

Inside they ate dinner, talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company. All the while, Anakin tried to ignore the fact that back at the Temple, Obi-Wan was very concerned about something.

* * *

"Master Yoda, what do you expect we are going to do?"

"Fight this war for the Republic, the Jedi shall no more. Sense dark things about this war do I," Yoda said to Obi-Wan. The small green being's voice had an edge to it. Obi-Wan could not remember Yoda sounding so stressed in all his years of being a Jedi.

"You're right. It's despicable of the Chancellor to place this burden on u," Mace cut in. "He of all people should know better than to expect us to fight this war for him. Especially after the Senate just approved the plans for him to raise an army."

"Perhaps he just wants us to lead the troops in battle," Obi-Wan said, trying to relieve himself and the other two with his words.

Yoda let out a sigh of irritation, shaking his head and looking down at the ground. "Clouded everything has become. Blurry is the future, hard to reach is the Force. Throwing everything out of balance are the clones. Behind them, the dark side rests."

Both Mace and Obi-Wan stared at Yoda. Obi-Wan's jaw dropped a little, and Mace's hand instinctively went to his lightsaber.

"Felt it I did. Push past the clones and darkness will you find."

"He's right," Mace said to Obi-Wan. "I felt it earlier today, just before we left for Palpatine's. It seems as one of the Sith is still alive."

"Hmm." Obi-Wan crossed his arms over his chest in thought. A shiver went up his spine as he recalled the disturbing appearance of Darth Maul. "We know there are always two of them…and Master Qui-Gon and I only fought one…it would explain the audacity of the Separatists to attack a system in the Republic, if a Sith were behind them."

"Troubling this is. A traitor there is in the Republic," Yoda said. "Playing both sides is this traitor. Bad for the Jedi it is – caught in the middle are we."

Just at that moment, Anakin walked past them. He nodded in acknowledgement to the Masters and went on his way. Obi-Wan returned the gesture, and turned back to Yoda and Mace.

"Late is your Padawan in returning, Obi-Wan," Yoda reproached. "Better eye on him you should keep."

Obi-Wan flushed in embarrassment. "Yes, Master."

"Vulnerable is young Skywalker. Still hurting is he." Yoda looked at the hallway Anakin had disappeared down.

_Then perhaps you should try being a little more caring to him, make him feel like he belongs here with the Jedi. I know you didn't want to train him, but blast…! _Obi-Wan thought to himself in a flash of irritation at Yoda.

Mace looked at him, giving him a warning glance. The Jedi Knight shifted on his feet.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I should go talk to Anakin…" Obi-Wan turned from the two Masters.

With a brisk step he hurried through the Temple, making his way to Anakin's room. He wasn't sure what exactly he would say to the younger man, but it had to be something. After all, while Obi-Wan had told him to take a small break he did not mean nearly half the day. Yoda was right despite the fact that he did not want to admit it.

"Come in," Anakin called out after Obi-Wan knocked a couple times. Obi-Wan peeked in, to see an almost completely different Anakin sitting there. A blast of happiness hit him through the Force, making Obi-Wan pause for a second.

"I'm glad to see you're in a better mood," Obi-Wan said with a smile, and he sat down next to his Padawan.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks for letting me leave for awhile." Anakin's eyes danced.

"I hope you did not enjoy your time too much, my young apprentice."

Anakin's face went red. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't want you getting into something too deep. After all, I have spent quite a few years of my life trying to make you into a respectable Jedi."

"And you think it's been hard on you. You have no idea what it's been like to deal with you, old man."

"You really dare to call me an old man?"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. Anakin smiled cockily at him, his hand going for his lightsaber. Noticing that Anakin was holding onto the weapon, he said, "And yet you still insist on wearing me out at every chance you get. Why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?"

"Please, Master. Like I would kill the only family I have left."

Anakin's voice darkened for a second and he glanced down at the floor. Obi-Wan knew he had to be thinking of his mother, so he reached out and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. After a second Anakin faced him again, holding up his lightsaber with a smile.

He spoke like a child begging for a piece of candy, "Please?"

"Alright, alright. If I have to receive a beating I'd rather get it over with." Obi-Wan stood up and lead the way to the practice room. Once there, he grabbed one of the trainer helmets. He tossed it to Anakin, who had a puzzled look on his face.

"If you want to fight me, you're going to have to do it by your feelings. We have to even this contest out a little," Obi-Wan said as he pulled out his own lightsaber.

Anakin grinned and pulled the helmet on. He ignited his lightsaber and assumed the defense position.

With a _snap-hiss_, Obi-Wan turned his own on and raised it up close to him. He took a couple steps around Anakin, trying to throw him off of his position. Without a word, his lightsaber being the only sound, he moved to make an attack. Anakin swung around, swiftly blocking Obi-Wan's move. For a second the two blue blades remained crossed then Anakin pulled his back.

Taking a careful step, Anakin reached out through the Force, trying to sense what Obi-Wan was going to do next. His Master was preparing to make another attack, this one low, so Anakin beat him to it, swinging high. Obi-Wan was caught off guard for just a second, then moved to meet the attack. Ever so slightly he pushed his lightsaber forward, making Anakin take a step back.

After a second they both brought their lightsabers close to themselves, circling each other. Anakin made the next move with a faint that he was going to attack to the left. Mid-swing, he hacked to Obi-Wan's right. Deftly Obi-Wan darted to his left. Anakin was forced change directions again, and Obi-Wan came after him to the left. Not having anticipated this, Anakin swung low, aiming for his Master's legs. Obi-Wan jumped over the Padawan's blade.

As soon as he landed, knowing that Anakin would not expect him to attack right away, Obi-Wan swung his blade around, coming in high to Anakin's left.

They parried for a few more turns, and Obi-Wan sensed something from Anakin he'd never felt before. The boy seemed to be more in tune with the Force than ever, as if being with Padmé had given him some sort of extra connection. However, another wave of Anakin's lightsaber made Obi-Wan's focus come back to the duel.

Barely in time, Obi-Wan moved his lightsaber to block Anakin's blade. He thanked his lucky stars, for though he knew that Anakin would stop before he hurt him, they were fighting with real lightsabers – not the practice ones that younger Padawans used to train with that only delivered a jolt of electricity when they came in contact with a being.

In return, Obi-Wan made an attack that brought the level of attack closer to Anakin so that he had to back down. Every one of the swings that Obi-Wan made Anakin blocked; despite the fact that holding his lightsaber so close to his torso, allowing Obi-Wan to make more personal attacks, made it harder for Anakin to swing back at his Master. The Jedi Knight paused for a second to catch his breath, allowing the Padawan the moment he needed.

Obi-Wan's mind suddenly went completely blank.

_There's something wrong about this,_ Obi-Wan said to himself in the back of his mind. It was like the softest whisper calling out to him through a thick fog.

_Who cares? I don't have to worry about anyth–_

A blue lightsaber blade swung down at him

Muttering a curse outloud, Obi-Wan brough his lightsaber up to deflect the blow about to cleave him apart at the shoulder.

Except that when he did, _another _humming blue beam of plasma came up at him from _nowhere_.

No. Not another blade. Anakin's.

Obi-Wan stared at the lightsaber, this one being the real one, inches from his throat,

"Got you again, Master," Anakin said from under the helmet. He thumbed the lightsaber off and the blue blade disappeared. The helmet rattled as he tried to give his head a shake, so he reached up and pulled it off

He looked to Obi-Wan.

The other Jedi was just staring at him, his lightsaber still on and humming. As the duel went on, he could feel Anakin's connection to the Force growing like nothing ever before. In fact, he had the feeling that the boy had managed to make him falsely see something happen. And this allowed him to win the duel.

Making another Jedi see something that was not real, well, that was almost impossible. Eve a very strong Jedi like Master Yoda could barely do it, and only for a fleeting second.

"Anakin…that…" Obi-Wan was at a loss for words. "I can't believe it. You just made me have a false vision. How did you do that?"

"I don't really know," Anakin answered simply. "I focused on the Force and it just came to me. I thought about making the other move really hard, I almost had to make myself believe that I was going to do that instead…and then at the last minute I brought my lightsaber up instead."

Out of breath, he managed to ask Obi-Wan, "Why do you ask? I thought it was easy for Jedi to make others have false visions – that's the essence of the mind trick."

"Yes, but that's on the weak minded. It's almost impossible for a Jedi to make another Jedi have a false vision. A false vision is more than a mind trick, the mind trick simply suggests a another course of action, another will, while the false vision makes the other person actually _see_ something different than what is going on. It is more than just a suggestion of an alternate course."

"Oh." Anakin put his hand to his chin, thinking.

"To perform a successful false vision takes a weaker mind than the mind trick. A mind trick is incredibly difficult to perform on another Jedi, and a false vision…well, let's suffice to say that not even Master Yoda can do that to another Jedi."

"Hmm." Now it was Anakin's turn to be speechless. Just when he thought he knew most things about Jedi powers, it seemed he knew very little.

"Where did you get the power to do that?" Obi-Wan said. Just when he thought he knew most things about his apprentice's abilities, it seemed he knew very little.

Anakin shrugged in response. Obi-Wan had an idea what the answer might have to do with: Padmé. At the same time though, he could be entirely sure of exactly how being with her affected Anakin's connection to the Force. Obi-Wan also knew that if it did have anything to do with Padmé then Anakin would not say anything about it – thus his silence on the matter.

"Well, I think I'm going to go talk to the Masters Yoda and Windu about a few things, including this new talent of yours," Obi-Wan said, reaching over and giving Anakin a pat on the shoulder.

"Oh great. Thanks a lot, Master," Anakin said wryly.

"Very good job today, though. Very good job, my young Padawan. Soon you're going to be more skilled than me at this rate. I think the trials may very well be soon in your future."

At those words, Anakin smiled. "I don't think I could ever stop learning from you, Master."

"You flatter me too much. Now, you should try and get some rest, you've had a busy day. I'll see you bright and early in the kitchens tomorrow, breakfast duty again!"

"Not again…"

"Hey now. As soon as you become a Knight I won't have to put up with it either," Obi-Wan called over his shoulder.

Anakin remained in his spot, and Obi-Wan closed the door to the practice chamber. He did not hear the _snap-hiss_ of a lightsaber turning on, so he knew that his apprentice was taking his word and would be heading to his room to sleep.

Obi-Wan made his way down the corridors of the Temple, heading to Yoda's. About halfway there, he changed his mind. In a few days he would talk to the Council, for he definitely believed that Anakin was ready for the trials now. Surely the Council would see that when they heard the news about the false vision.

In his own room, Obi-Wan took off his cloak and settled down on his sleeping cot. He tossed and turned a few times, trying to get comfortable. Taking a deep breath, he reached out to the Force to try and calm his mind. However, he sensed something from Anakin. He could tell the boy was still reeling from the pain of the loss of his mother and wished there was something he could do about it.

Thinking it was better than nothing, he summoned up some of his own calm and serenity, and using the Force, he focused it on Anakin. Sure enough, the younger Jedi settled down and was shortly asleep.

With a sigh, Obi-Wan rolled over and tried to do the same.

Breakfast duty was a pain.

* * *

"Are you prepared to make your attack?" Darth Sidious asked bluntly, looking to General Hill.

Hill sat in the lead chair at the table in the conference room aboard the _Driving Force_. Around him other members of the Separate Systems Alliance, including the slimy Neimoidian Nute Raygun and Wat Tambor of the Techno Union, were seated. Even Count Dooku had managed to disentangle himself from the world of politics and was also present.

Dooku…what a joke.

And the Neimoidians…

They should have been disposed of long ago.

Perhaps the only one of them that was worth keeping around was Wat Tambor, as he had a shrewd mind for business.

The rest…would be liquidated once the Repubic fell. Hill would see to it, even if Darth Sidious did not wish it. There were ways around such technicalities.

"Yes, my Lord. I have studied the Wookiees…and I have a plan," Hill said.

"Good," Sidious replied huskily. "I will make sure that you have a victory. The Republic is not yet ready for war again; they have fallen asleep these past few months. What is your plan?"

"A double offensive, My Lord."

If he could see his eyes, Hill knew they would have narrowed at his words. Treading dangerous ground, not following Sidious's orders was a quick way to a painful end, Hill said:

"You are right, my Lord. The Republic has fallen asleep. And so now is the perfect time to drive the final push that will ruin them."

"Dispense with the pleasantries. Tell me your plan," Sidious growled.

"Of course, My Lord. What I plan to do is lure the enemy into a trap. We will make them think we are going to attack Kashyyyk."

The Sith Lord made no comment.

Hill pushed a button, and from the middle of the table a hologram of a planet came to life. "This is Honoghr. It lies out beyond the Outer Rim, just behind Hutt space."

"Then it's completely worthless," Dooku cut in.

Hill glared at him. "And that's exactly why we will use it. It doesn't matter if we take the system or not. We just have to make the Republic _think_ we will. And then we can attack them where it truly matters."

Another planet replaced Honoghr, instantly recognizable as the Wookiee homeworld.

"Next we will draw them to Kashyyyk. Once we have taken that system, the Wookiees will be ours. But that's not all."

Now Hill had the attention of all those present – even Darth Sidious looked pleased under his heavy cloak. He explained the third part of the plan, and when he was done he shut all the holograms off.

"What about the Jedi?" Nute Gunray asked. "Fighting one Jedi is like fighting ten regular soldiers."

"The Jedi are spread far too thin, and they are unwilling to fight. A war of this type is not in their nature. At most, they will send one or two to command their troops." Sidious answered the question as if it were completely obvious.

"Regardless, this plan is clearly insane. No one's ever tried anything like it – the Jedi will surely be able to see through the deception," Dooku said, glaring straight at Hill.

"Then I suppose it's up to you to make sure that you do your job and keep them occupied," Hill sneered, returning the look. "Or perhaps you are dissatisfied with your position after the little mess you made on Ansion."

The old man made a move as if he were going to jump over the table but something held him back.

"Gentlemen…you are beginning to act like children," Sidious warned. "Do not worry about the Jedi. _I _will see to that. And as for this plan, I agree with it. We shall put it into motion straightaway."

Darth Sidious flickered away. The seat that the blue hologram occupied sat empty. For a second, the Separatists sat in silence until Hill broke it.

"Tambor, about the clones…you have improved your techniques, no?" Hill asked, turning to Wat Tambor, the leader of the Techno Union.

"Yes. The insanity previously encountered has been eradicated. We made them completely docile – they take any order without question. Thus, they have no room to think for themselves and do not…go astray."

"I see." Hill leaned back in his chair, putting his hand to his chin. Something about altering a part of the fundamental essence of being human bothered him. Perhaps that was what the Jedi hated so much about the clones.

Or it might just be that they didn't like them trying to take over the galaxy. After all, the Jedi were not completely stupid. Destroying the Republic also meant that its protectors had to be disposed of if the Separate Systems Alliance were to survive.

"Do you think the Jedi have found out about this new version?" Hill asked Dooku.

"Do I look like someone who knows what a Jedi thinks?" Dooku snapped.

"I would expect you to, since you are the one who is supposed to influence the Senate."

Through clenched teeth Dooku said, "The Jedi have no knowledge of this advancement yet. But once they find out about it, and this new threat of attack, they will hold nothing back."

"Then I implore you, for the sake of our institution, but most of all your own, to keep them from _finding it out_."

Hill gave Dooku one last glare. If the Count failed…and the Jedi discovered their plan…it was not a pleasant outcome.

Perhaps Hill was insane. It was guaranteed that the Jedi would be there, one of them always commanded the Republic troops. Add in a few more…and the stakes changed completely. No one in his or her right mind would go up against a legion of Jedi. It was pure tactical suicide.


	9. Chapter 9

9

Anakin smiled at Padmé. A real smile, something that had become rare in the week since his return from Tatooine. Seeing it made her heart warm, and combined with the fact that she was full from a hearty dinner, all prepared by her hands, she had never felt so content in years.

And there was the simple fact that Anakin consistently came over to visit her.

She could not deny that she enjoyed it, no matter how she tried.

"Now you're just trying to be mean!" Padmé protested his comment on her cooking. "I've told you more than once that I am not a cook!"

"No, you should know Jedi are not mean." He tried to keep a straight face but failed as the corners of his lips turned up. A small chuckle escaped him.

Frustration welling in her, Padmé struggled to from some sort of comeback. It seemed she was never able to win these verbal duels of theirs. Finally she shot back, "Yeah, sure. Breakfast boy. You can cook next time, then."

Anakin merely laughed. "I won't be breakfast boy for long. As soon as I become a Knight, that business ends. And you should know the dining hall is empty when I'm on duty."

Padmé scowled at him.

_He really does think he's something. I'll just have to show him!_

Without further delay, Padmé fished out a cube of ice from one of the cups sitting empty on the counter after the meal. Before Anakin move away from her she dashed behind behind him. He reached behind him to stop her, he knew what she was going to do, and failed. Ice slipped down the back of his robes.

"Oh, you did not just do that," Anakin squealed as the ice slipped down his back. "You did not just do that."

He contorted as he tried to keep the ice from coming into contact with his skin. Ice made the perfect weapon against him – she knew he never would get over how cold ice was, as he came from such a warm planet as Tatooine.

Padmé giggled as she watched him twist around, slipping away from him.

"You are an agent of evil, twisted by the dark side," he said. His eyes narrowed at her.

Padmé tried to stop laughing. Feeling slightly guilty for tormenting him so, she clapped a hand over her mouth. He still glared at her, but she could see his eyes were still dancing. Knowing that he was not angry only made her urge to giggle stronger.

After one final attempt to find the ice he forced himself to go still. Padmé watched him carefully, not sure of what he would do. She knew he was concentrating on something – something sneaky with the Force. Anakin's face gave away nothing of his intentions, however.

A soft tinkle caught her attention.

Out of one of the cups on the counter three pieces of ice leapt into the air. It teetered for second, almost tipping over. Without further sound all three ice cubes made their way to Padmé.

"No you don't!" Padmé put her hands up defensively and darted away from the three frozen bombs.

Trying to keep a straight face, Anakin moved the ice after her. She yelped and ran from them again.

_Putting ice down a Jedi's back. Not one of my more brilliant moves_, she thought to herself from the safety of the main sitting room.

The cubes danced ominously around her head for a few seconds.

"Alright, Master Jedi, you win."

Anakin moved the ice again as if he were going to put them down the back of her tunic, but just at the last second he pulled them back to the kitchen where they plopped into the sink. Cautiously, Padmé walked back so she stood next to him again. Anakin raised his hands in an "I'm innocent" gesture and she stepped past him to finish washing the dishes.

"And don't call me that," he said, blushing slightly.

"What?"

"Master Jedi. I'm not a Master," he tried not to smile at her, "your Highness."

"And don't you call me that."

"Yes, m'lady."

Padmé chuckled and splashed some water onto him. "Don't call me that either."

Anakin turned his face and blinked his eyes to avoid the soapy water, but it landed on the front of his tunic. He looked straight at her, saying, "You are just bent on tormenting me, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

She watched him. That smile of his…her heart fluttered. He looked so handsome, standing there with an exasperated but amused look on his face. He caught her staring at him and looked her in the eyes.

Those eyes. So blue. They held her gaze, looking deep into hers. Padmé felt a strong urge to look away, to break the connection, but she forced herself not to do so. Her heart sped up and her stomach curled into a tiny knot as she suddenly became very aware of the fact that she had not cleaned the apartment in days, she had been so distracted, thinking of other things –

"I –" Anakin started.

Padmé jolted out of her train of thought and waited for the rest of his thought. Two words screamed inside her head. He was going to say them, she knew he would.

_Tell him you feel the same way, you know, you've always known – say anything you stupid, stupid woman. It's not right, but you can't deny it!_

"What, Anakin?" she whispered instead.

"Nothing. I don't know."

He shook his head, his eyes darting down at the floor. After a second he looked back up at her and tried to smile. Disappointed, she shrugged and went back to washing the dishes. As she got done with them he dried them and put them away using the Force.

When they were done, Padmé turned to him. "You just have to show off don't you?"

Anakin shrugged. "Obi-Wan would have killed me for that marvelous display."

"Why?"

"Jedi aren't supposed to use the Force as a crutch like that. There's more to the Force than just show. It's complicated. The Force is complicated."

"Life's complicated."

Anakin smiled.

"Yeah, it sure is." He sighed and went silent. His eyes went out of focus as he looked past her. His right hand clenched into a fist at his side several times over and his jaw set.

_His mother. He's thinking about his mother. _

"She loved you, Anakin."

At Padmé's words he turned sharply to her.

"What?"

"Your mother…she loved you very much," Padmé said.

"How'd you know…?"

She shrugged. "I just had a feeling that's what you were thinking about. You're usually thinking of her when you get that distant look in your eyes."

Not knowing what to say, he halfheartedly smiled.

"She'd be proud of you, Anakin. And I'm sure that wherever she is now she still is. Even I'm proud of you. I mean, you've changed so much…you've become a wonderful Jedi – a wonderful person, regardless of your being a Jedi."

Padmé stepped over to him and put her hands on his arms. It was hard for her to do, everything inside her screamed that touching him was wrong.

"Thanks," Anakin said, blushing. "I just do what comes naturally, what should be done for the greater good. Even still, you and Obi-Wan are the only people I have left."

"What do you mean? You've got the rest of the Order. They–"

"I never fit in with any of the other trainees. Since I started so late, I was outcast from them. It was like they wanted to prove something about themselves because I'm supposed to be the Chosen One. If I had the choice to go back…no matter what, I wouldn't give up what I have to still be a slave."

His eyes went down to the floor and he crossed his arms tightly across his chest as if he were stripped of everything he had, left only with a broken spirit too weak to protest the crimes against it.

The sight of him made Padmé's heart stop – he looked so fragile. Tentatively she stepped close to him and put her hands on his arms, looking him in the eyes.

"No one's asking you to give it up, Anakin."

Anakin wrapped his arms around her, holding her as close as he could. After a second she looked back up at him, knowing he was comforted by her words. And the feeling of him holding onto her –

She never wanted him to leave. She didn't care whether it was proper or not. They understood each other, they cared about each other. The Jedi Order could do nothing about their friendship.

_Except you know you want more than that._

And she did.

She buried her face against his robes, taking in the comfort of his embrace. Breathing him in brought to mind all of the things she associated with him: compassion, understanding, comfort. With another breath she noticed something completely different under the lingering manufactured smell of his robes.

_Him_.

Subtle yet sharp at the same time, it was unlike anything else. She knew it was unique only to him – nothing in the rest of the galaxy would have this scent.

Drawn to him even more, she pressed herself against him and squeezed him tightly. She took a couple more deep breaths to take in all of him that she could. Warnings screamed inside her head but she ignored them.

She was not about to give this up. She was not about to give _him_ up.

Padmé glanced up at him, nervous about looking at him for a reason that she could not understand.

"I know," he said.

Anakin looked her in the eyes.

Those eyes. She couldn't get away from them.

They looked through her – understanding more about her than she knew herself. Padmé fought the urge to divert her eyes so that he would stop studying her.

But she could not look away from those blue eyes. Just as he had been a few minutes ago, she was now before him, defenses to keep people out stripped down. Her heart sped up as she held the gaze, fearing conclusions that he would come to about her –

Gently, Anakin reached up and put his hand on the side of her face. The soft touch calmed her nerves and let her breath out slowly. He pulled her closer to him and she dared not think about what was to come next.

He kissed her.

She knew it was coming, she knew she wanted it. Ever since that first kiss she doubted that it had happened. Not to her. Not a Queen of Naboo.

And here he was, lips pressed against hers. A simple action meaning so much. Padmé's fingers tightened in their grip against his back, wanting him closer. The only thing she was aware of was the connection she had to him – nothing between them.

He broke the kiss, looking at Padmé. A few seconds passed then he kissed her again a little more earnestly.

Padmé pulled away from him and leaned against him. Her voice muffled against his robes, she spoke.

"Anakin…we can't do this. You said so yourself."

"I know, I know," he said, closing his eyes and resting his chin on top of her head. "But I can't help it when I'm around you. I just want to be with you."

"What about the Jedi? I thought you'd get expelled from the Order. I can't just let you throw away your dream for me."

"I'm not throwing my dream away." Anakin squeezed her. "Jedi were allowed to love, at one point. And when I'm with you…I can't explain it. I feel the Force in a way like never before, and I know it's a good thing. It just doesn't make sense for a Jedi not to love, not when we're taught to have compassion and unconditional love for all things."

"But you just can't go keeping something like this from them – especially Obi-Wan."

"Obi-Wan…doesn't get it, nor will he," Anakin said.

Those words were a little hard for Padmé to believe.

"I don't like it."

"Trust me. You'll see. It'll all work out; things always work out the way they're supposed to. We just have to be careful, that's all."

Padmé searched his face. There she saw the determination to keep her on his handsome face. She knew he truly cared about her, and after all, she was all alone in the galaxy now. Not to mention, her own feelings for him…were unbecoming of a member of the Naboo royal family. Back in Naboo, she probably was expected to marry someone of equal importance.

There was the slim chance that she might be able to persuade her parents because he was a Jedi –

But none of that mattered. They were not on Naboo, they were here. She had no parents that she needed to convince.

Anakin was still a Jedi. And whether they were on Naboo or not, that was something that had to be contended with. Despite all the possible repercussions, she did not think she could stand to loose him.

_After all, if that kiss doesn't prove what I want then I don't know what will. _

Padmé nestled up against him and squeezed him tightly. For several more minutes they held on to each other, both of them almost covered up in the dark Jedi robe Anakin wore. It seemed as if no time had passed since he arrived earlier that evening.

Finally Anakin forced himself to say goodbye and leave, giving Padmé another kiss before he did so. Padmé shut the door after him. After he left, she leaned against it, wishing there could be a time when he would never have to leave.

* * *

The next morning Anakin woke up with a large smile on his face. Padmé's face hovered in the background of his mind the whole night, even while he slept. The Queen might be nervous about the whole where things between them were going, but he was confident – he nearly even said those three little words to her. It was a gross error that the Jedi were not allowed to love. Anakin just could not conceive how the Masters thought it wrong.

Love was true connection to the Force.

True connection brought true understanding of the Force and its will.

Having gotten himself some breakfast and glad he did not have to work in the kitchens that morning, Anakin made his way up through the Temple to one of the meditation rooms. Sitting down, he crossed his legs and sank in to the Force. Instantaneously he felt Padmé's presence without having to reach beyond the Temple.

Which was odd because it meant she was not in her apartment.

What in the blazes is she doing here? Anakin wondered. For a second a trill of excitement went through him as he thought she might be coming to visit him. He reached out again, only to be disappointed.

Padmé was surrounded by confusion.

Refugees.

Focusing a little harder, he could sense their angst, having been displaced from their homes as more and more systems succumbed to the Separatists. Those she came into contact with were soon calmed, and it was easy for Anakin to understand why – she had the same effect on him. He smiled to himself as Padmé's sense of accomplishment coursed through him. For a second it almost seemed as if she could sense he was watching her through the Force, but as soon as it came the feeling passed.

Leaving her to her work, Anakin moved further out. And there it was:

That nagging presence of darkness.

He pushed towards it with concern. Today it was stronger than before, shrouding more in its cloud. The darkness covered everything around it. It dulled any presence of the light side of the Force.

What especially concerned Anakin was that it covered the Senate. The governing body of the Republic was never hard to feel since it was a hotbed for anxiety and stress that radiated through the Force. Lately, the youngest trainee could find the Senate with ease. But today it was a vacuum. He couldn't find anything but the darkness.

Something pushed Anakin away.

Frowning, Anakin pushed back.

The dark pushed him away even harder.

Anakin thought about Padmé, gathering as much strength as he could through the Force. He reached out to her, to make a connection, and the Force jolted through him. Holding on to it and keeping Padmé in his mind's eye, he probed back to the darkness. Sweat broke out on his forehead from the effort, he was almost there; he could almost see who was blinding the Republic…

Everything exploded in his mind's eye. Part of him was dragged away, lead by the Force, and the other half was violently shoved away by the dark. For the first time in his life, Anakin felt split into two _different_ people.

Both parts of him were looking down on the Temple –

And everything was wrong.

Instead of standing at its kilometer height, the Temple was a pile of ruins. A shrouded figure stood on the top of the pile, beckoning to Anakin. He knew it was the darkness clouding the galaxy. The figure watched the skies, finally noticing Anakin. A black gloved hand reached out for him.

"Anakin Skywalker…"

The hand waved to him, beckoning him to come.

_No!_ Anakin thought to himself. _I'm not going down there!_

"Yes…here is your destiny…"

Desperately, Anakin fought to stay as far away from the dark shadow as he could. Despite his efforts, part of him went – he was getting closer and closer to the dark figure.

_NO! I – WILL – NOT–!_

The connection to the Force broke

Anakin's eyes flew wide open and he gasped for breath. The vision vanished along with any sense of the Force. Shocked, Anakin could not move. Never before had he simply lost the Force. It was always with him. Looking to his right, finally able to move, he got another surprise.

Obi-Wan sat next to him, his own robe pulled around him, watching his Padawan with great interest.

"Master…" Anakin sputtered between breaths. "You scared me!"

Obi-Wan studied him for a second before he said anything.

"I apologize…I didn't mean to startle you. I just couldn't help but feel that surge through the Force coming from you. What where you doing?"

Anakin shook his head, more concerned about what he felt in the Senate. "Master, what is the Senate doing today?"

"What?" Obi-Wan said in confusion at this sudden change in topic. "I think they were discussing something about the Separatists. Anakin, you've been spending far too much time away from the Temple. The Republic expects an attack on one of its systems sometime soon. The Senate is supposed to discuss what actions to take to prevent this. I would not be surprised if they debated it today. Why?"

"There's something horribly wrong. There's a Dark Jedi here – he's controlling the Senate."

"Anakin, don't be ridiculous."

"It's true. I felt it when I was meditating…that's what I was trying to find."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "If there was a Dark Jedi controlling the Senate we would know about it, especially if he were here on Coruscant."

The image of the dark figure on top of the ruined Temple flashed through Anakin's mind, making him seriously doubt that fact.

"And honestly, what kind of Dark Jedi would want to put himself so close to the Order?" Obi-Wan tried to joke, but Anakin just got an irritated look on his face.

"I know what I felt," he said stubbornly. That was definitely not something to joke about right after the vision he had.

_Tell him about the vision._

_Or better yet, just let them find out the hard way when that guy is standing on top of the Temple. See if they laugh at you then_, another part of Anakin reasoned.

Instead, he said nothing. Obi-Wan eyed him for a second.

The determination on Anakin's face did not go away, and he grunted, "There's something evil here. I know it. The rest of the Masters just don't see it."

"Be careful Anakin," the Knight advised his Padawan. "Not even Master Yoda has felt any sort of disturbance like that. You're not a Knight yet – you still have many things to learn."

"I haven't forgotten I'm not a Knight because you won't let me forget," Anakin muttered under his breath. His fist clenched and his eyes glanced down at the floor.

"Excuse me?" Obi-Wan said sharply.

"Maybe Master Yoda doesn't feel it because the dark is dampening his senses."

"Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to spend more time at the Temple, especially with the Masters," Obi-Wan threatened, which only succeeded in making Anakin bristle. "If you did, you might have a little more sense. Things are getting dangerous, Anakin. We might have to fight soon, and if we do I'm going to need you. You can't be spending too much time with Padmé, and your feelings have already started to get in the way of your duties."

"You wouldn't know anything about my feelings for Padmé."

"I know more than you think, my _very young apprentice_," Obi-Wan emphasized the words, the stress of restraining his emotions showing in his voice. He only used the phrase when he neared anger with Anakin; it was a habit he had picked up from his own Master, Qui-Gon Jinn.

In return, Anakin narrowed his eyes at Obi-Wan. His right hand was still balled into a fist, his knuckles beginning to go white.

"In fact, I'm forbidding you from seeing her today," Obi-Wan said.

A surge of anger went through Anakin and his ears felt as though he were stuck in the vacuum of space, unable to hear anything. He said forcefully through his set jaw, "You're _what_?"

"First of all, Padmé's busy helping with the refugees. She doesn't have time to gallivant all around Coruscant with you. Second, as I said, you have your commitments here. And third, if you don't start to be careful, I _will_ go to the Jedi Council."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Anakin…" Obi-Wan warned. "I will do what I have to in order to remind you what being a Jedi means."

"You don't know what a lot of things mean," Anakin spat out. "You're so blind to everything, you and all the rest of the Masters."

Anakin glared at Obi-Wan. He could not believe that Obi-Wan had threatened to go before the Council. It was the Council's fault he was in this mess.

Frustrated beyond belief, Anakin got off his meditation cushion. Without a word, he stormed past Obi-Wan. Just because of that threat, he would go see Padmé.

But would that solve anything?

Obi-Wan was right, she was working to help the refugees right now.

The fact that Obi-Wan was correct about something incensed Anakin even more. He stopped in his tracks, wondering where he could go.

Then it came to him.

Normally Anakin wouldn't want to be around the man, but for now the thought of talking to someone that wasn't a Jedi, even if it was Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, was all that Anakin wanted.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan yelled after him. "Come back here!"

However, Anakin did not turn around. He heard Obi-Wan exclaim "Blast, that boy…" which did nothing to improve his mood.

_Fine, if that's how Obi-Wan feels about me! Well if I'm such a burden then he should have just dumped me back on Tatooine all those years ago and said to hell with it! At least I'd be wanted there!_

The anger emanating from Anakin got him several strange looks as he made his way out of the Temple. He even glared back at one Jedi who looked too closely at him. Not paying attention to his surroundings outside the Temple he walked through the maze of buildings until he came to the Senate building.

Entering the top-rounded building, he noted that the Senate was not in session at the current moment; senators wandered about, talking in a rushed manner. That meant that Chancellor Palpatine might have the time to talk to him.

At Palpatine's chambers, he heard voices inside so he stopped. There was plenty of time for him to wait. However, it only took a few minutes before the Malastarian stormed out of Palpatine's office, throwing Anakin a bitter look.

"Master Anakin! What a surprise!" Palpatine said, startling him. Apparently he ushered his guest to the door despite the bitter attitude of the other being. With a smile, Palpatine continued, "I was just about to call Master Kenobi, and some of the other Jedi! It seems you've beaten them here though! What can I do for you?"

"Um…" Anakin shifted on his feet.

"Well, come on in, my boy! There's no need to be nervous!"

Palpatine turned around and headed to take a seat behind his grand desk. Anakin hesitated for a second then followed him.

"So what's bothering you?" Palpatine looked him in the eye as he sat down. "Please, Anakin, take a seat."

"Oh, sure. Thanks." Anakin crossed his arms, buried in the big sleeves of his Jedi robe, and sat down. He looked down at the floor as he spoke. "Not much…really. Master Obi-Wan and I had a fight, and I didn't have anywhere else to go. I just had to get out of the Temple."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to snatch them out of the air and stuff them away so the Chancellor could not hear them. Was it possible for him to sound any more stupid – any more juvenile?

_I'm sitting in front of the man who has the most power in the galaxy and "Obi-Wan and I had a fight" is the best thing I can come up with? _Anakin cursed to himself.

"I'm sorry to hear that…Obi-Wan Kenobi can prove to be rather difficult at times."

"Yeah," Anakin replied, not quite sure what the Chancellor meant by the statement.

"What happened between the two of you? It must have been pretty bad to upset you like this."

"He's just so restrictive. I have to sit around all day and do everything that he and Master Yoda and Master Windu want, when they want it. Sometimes I don't feel much more free than when I was a slave. And then, everything with my mother…"

Anakin trailed off and glanced up at the Chancellor. While he was nervous at first about talking to him, now that he was getting some of his frustration off his chest he felt better.

"I've been spending a lot of time with Padmé, and it's been the only thing that's kept me going," he said, not even realizing that the Chancellor might not know his Queen was still alive. "Obi-Wan tells me that I can see her and get away from the Jedi Temple, and then today he turns around and tells me I can't see her. It's like he wants me to be miserable."

Anakin's face twisted up in an expression of frustration.

"You're not the only Padawan I've heard who's gotten frustrated with the Jedi," Palpatine said with a smile. "Despite all their good intentions, they can cut themselves off from true emotions and understanding. Did you know that they are against helping me and the Republic?"

"What?" Anakin stared at him in disbelief.

"It's true…I need them to fight for the Republic. The Separatists are going to attack soon. There are whispers they are going to make a major offensive. The only hope the Republic has are the Jedi. We're building military facilities to gear for war, but the only ones who can really save the Republic are the Jedi."

"I…I had no idea," Anakin stammered, at a complete loss for words.

Palpatine looked at Anakin with a hopeful glint in his eyes. "Perhaps you could help me…I know you and Master Kenobi are quite close, maybe you could help persuade him that this is the right course of action. He might then be able to convince the others."

"Oh…I don't know…I really don't have that kind of influence, and plus…"

"Anakin, you may well be the one who can save the Republic if you do this."

At those words, Anakin squirmed in his seat. Now he wished he had stayed at the Temple instead of spending so much time with Padmé. If he had, he might have a better idea of what Palpatine was talking about. However, he was bound to help the Republic because of his status of being a Jedi, and he was in the Chancellor's debt for at least getting him the chance to try and see his mother…

Anakin shifted again.

"And, if you help me out on this, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic will owe you a favor. You never know how handy that could turn out to be," Palpatine said. "As I said, I have to talk to the Jedi today. Watch them, Anakin. You will see what I am talking about."

"Oh, okay. Sure," Anakin agreed.

This sounded like something he could handle, and if there was a problem with the Masters then maybe he could help out the Chancellor thus helping the Republic. Looking at it from that angle it didn't seem too bad.

Anakin took a closer look around the Chancellor's chambers as Palpatine contacted the Temple. The room was decorated simply, with elegant Nabooian statues by the door and a couple of extra chairs in each corner of the room. A beautiful painting hung on one wall, of what looked like a part of Naboo – possibly the Chancellor's native village. Almost blending into the seamless room were two personal bodyguards, dressed completely in red. A chill went down Anakin's spine as he thought about how deadly they had to be, he instantly felt sorry for someone if they attempted to harm Palpatine.

Palpatine finished speaking to Yoda and turned back to Anakin.

"They'll be here shortly. Don't worry, Anakin. I'm sure you and Master Kenobi will work things out…despite everything."

"Yeah, I hope so. He's the only thing close to family I have left."

"Ah, in that case I am all the more sure of it. And even if things may not turn out exactly like we all hope, Master Kenobi will still be the one who helped you become the man you are today."

Anakin blushed deeply as he muttered a "thank you."

"He's done a wonderful job training you, despite his misgivings. If I were a Jedi, there are a few things I would have done just a little differently, but it's of no consequence."

"Oh? Like what?" Anakin said. His interest piqued at what the Chancellor had to say.

"For starters, I would have let you take the trials already. I think you have proven yourself to the Jedi more than once. I would have also let you see your mother, and of course I wouldn't have been so quick to…Oh, if you'll excuse me for just a second – it seems the Jedi have arrived!"

Palpatine stopped talking and got up to respond to the knock at his door. Anakin stood up too, feeling nervous that he was already here. It felt like he was caught trying to sneak food from the kitchens.

"Welcome, Masters!" Palpatine said. He opened the door so the Jedi could enter.

Yoda, Mace and Obi-Wan made their way into the office, stepping past Palpatine.

Out of respect, Anakin bowed to the three older Jedi. Obi-Wan stopped in his tracks for a second as he looked from Anakin to Palaptine back to Anakin. Something passed between the two Jedi as Obi-Wan realized that his Padawan had gone to the Chancellor rather than one of the other Jedi for help.

Struggling to keep the feeling of betrayal from showing on his face, Obi-Wan took a deep breath and sat down in the chair Anakin previously occupied.

Unsure of what to do Anakin stood behind Obi-Wan, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He knew Obi-Wan had taken it personally that he went to Palpatine – the brief look of shock that flashed across his Master's face told him all he needed to know.

"So what did the Senate decide today, Chancellor?" Mace asked respectfully.

"We're going to try and fight off this attack," Palpatine said. "We have no other choice. Our advances on Carida with respects to the naval training center have been remarkable, given the short amount of time it's been. But we still do not have enough of an army to defend ourselves on our own. We need the aide of the Jedi."

"Know how the Jedi feel about this, yet still persist you do," Yoda spoke up.

"I don't understand why you oppose this so much. You claim that the clones are an abomination, and yet you do not stand to fight to rid the galaxy of them," Palpatine countered.

Yoda shook his head.

"Chancellor, we are not your army. We would better serve you to make an agreement with the Separatists. You have made the motions to create an army, now use it," Mace said with an edge of warning in his voice.

"I would use an army, if I had one, Master Jedi," Palpatine hissed. "I am trying to tell you that right now I do not have the means to protect this Republic, so I turn to you – the sworn protectors. I'm merely asking you to defend one of our systems."

_Sithspawn,_ Anakin thought, the curse coming to mind; left over from a habit picked up from his peers. It was something that no one ever said in the presence of a Master but was common among older trainees.

_Palpatine's right. What's wrong with the Masters?_

Lost in thought, the conversation soon faded out of his focus.

_I'm the only one who can sense that darkness; maybe it's even clouding their judgment…_

Taking a deep breath, Anakin reached out to the Force.

There was nothing there. He couldn't feel anything.

Confused, Anakin tried to push out as hard as he could, but there was nothing there to draw on. He came out of his concentration to hear Obi-Wan speaking. Palpatine glanced at Anakin out of the corner of his eyes then turned back to Obi-Wan.

Despite the lack of the Force, Obi-Wan was still quick and he noticed the glance that Palpatine gave his apprentice. He looked over his shoulder at Anakin, and Anakin made a slight shrugging gesture.

"I see. If you still refuse to fight then I'm afraid I will have to use the droid army of the Trade Federation. That or I can push a vote through the Senate giving me full military command over the Jedi."

"That's not possible," Obi-Wan growled and he stared angrily at the Chancellor

"I love democracy. I love the Republic. And I will do whatever I have to do to preserve them both. I assure you I can make it happen, if you leave me no other choice."

Palpatine looked at all of the Jedi in turn. Anakin could read the anger on all of their faces. Suddenly Mace stood up, robes swirling about him.

"In that case, we are done here today." Mace sounded truly agitated, his face set with a stony expression. He turned to leave.

Yoda looked to Palpatine, saying, "A sad day this is, that you would have to make such a threat. Bad for the Republic it is."

The small green Jedi turned and followed Mace, leaving only Anakin and Obi-Wan. Without a word Obi-Wan got up and headed for the door

"Let's go," he muttered to Anakin, who nodded in response and fell into step behind his master.

As he walked out, Anakin took one last look at Palpatine, and swore that he could see the making of a smile on the Chancellor's face.


	10. Chapter 10

10

The Jedi Knight looked over to his Padawan. "Anakin, the problem is the way that the Chancellor wants to fight. He is trying to send us in as a preemptive strike. That is not what we do."

"I know. But what if there were some way we could still fight for the Republic, like if we went in if there was an attack? We wouldn't be breaking the Code, and we'd be defending the Republic."

"Hmm." Obi-Wan eyed Anakin carefully.

"I think it would be perfectly reasonable for us to fight under those conditions. The Republic is going through such a hard time right now, what with the Dark Jedi or whatever it is interfering, and then the Separatists…"

"We don't know if there's a Dark Jedi in control of the Republic. How many times must I tell you that Master Yoda and Master Windu have felt nothing of this presence?"

What Obi-Wan did not know was that the two Jedi he just mentioned did indeed feel something dark in the Force – but that it was behind the Cloners.

"Master, there's a Dark Jedi, maybe not a Sith, but definitely something out there. And whatever it is, it's close, a lot closer than it should be."

Obi-Wan sighed and took a look around their surroundings, and turning to Anakin, he asked, "Where are we going?"

"I don't know. I was following you," Anakin said, slightly confused.

"Well, I was following _you_."

"I thought you were the one with the directions." Anakin raised his eyebrows as a rather inebriated Gotal stumbled past them.

"Yeah…well…" Obi-Wan watched the Gotal. "I think we took a wrong turn somewhere."

The two Jedi were making their way down one of the midlevels of Coruscant. Flashing signs for an assortment of establishments blinked everywhere. The air down here was heavier than the higher levels, leaving a strong aftertaste of recycled air in the mouths of the inhabitants. Master and apprentice meandered through the crowds, having elected to try a new restaurant after Obi-Wan received a recommendation on it from Master Nejaa Halcyon.

Master Halcyon told Obi-Wan that he needed to expand his palate, eat somewhere different than Coruscanti Bistro, insisting that the selection at Republica Grill was far better.

"Where are we supposed to be going?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan looked at the name scribbled on the flimsiplast. "It says 'Republica Grill,' if I'm reading this right."

"Let me see. You never could read something handwritten," Anakin kidded as he reached out for the sheet.

"I can read them just fine, if you please. I am a Jedi Knight after all…my intuition should be enough to figure out Master Halcyon's writing."

"Except for the part where you got us lost," Anakin snorted. "Let me see them."

"Fine."

Obi-Wan handed over the directions as if he were being forced to hand over credits won by illegally betting on Umgullian blob races. Once he had the scrawled notes, the first thing Anakin noticed was that Halcyon had very nice handwriting. Whatever Halcyon did in his spare time, it must have been practicing writing – and not at a computer station.

The second thing that Anakin realized was that this specific piece of flimisplast had been used before. As he held it, a vague sense of the person to use it before Master Halcyon came to him…

_Halcyon is married_.

The realization hit him like a brick to the stomach.

Hands shaking slightly, he recalled that funny look Halcyon gave him while he told Obi-Wan about the restaurant. It was a look of understanding, as if he knew Anakin's secret.

_And I know his. He knew because he has the same one as I, all he needed was one look at me to know…_

"Uh…Obi-Wan," Anakin croaked when he finally found his voice, "it's right over there."

"Huh?" Obi-Wan turned to look where Anakin was pointing. "Oh. I guess that would be it, wouldn't it?"

The first thing Anakin thought was that the place belonged on Nal Hutta. The restaurant oozed a strange odor that they could smell over on the other side of the walkway. Taking a second whiff, he realized that the smell was that of grease – eating anything inside would likely kill a patron in five minutes due to the heavy amount of artery-clogging agents used in the food.

"Well, I'll skip on the heart attack special," Anakin said, knowing what Obi-Wan was thinking the same thing.

"I'm with you on that one. That's the last time I ever take a recommendation for Master Halcyon. I thought he had good taste, he told me about Couruscanti Bistro."

"Like that could be considered fine dining," Anakin said sarcastically. "You'd expect more from a place with 'bistro' in its name."

"Watch it, or you'll end up with kitchen duty every day next month."

Anakin rolled his eyes at Obi-Wan. "Hey, I'm not breakfast boy anymore. And if I have kitchen duty, you do too."

"'Breakfast boy'?" Obi-Wan gave him a dubious look.

"Uh…" Anakin trailed off, mentally berating himself for letting the Queen's taunt at him slip. The story behind that wouldn't sit well with Obi-Wan. Changing the subject, he said "How bout we just get dinner at the usual?"

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Anakin's comlink going off.

Anakin started, his comlink usually only went off when he was away from Obi-Wan but his master stood right in front of him. Fumbling in his robes he found it and answered.

"Anakin Skywalker speaking," said into it, praying that Padmé's voice would not answer back.

"Anakin, the High Council requests your presence. Please come to the Council Chamber immediately," Mace Windu said on the other end.

"Yes, Master Windu. I'm on my way."

He shut the comlink off, knowing that Mace would say no more. He looked nervously to Obi-Wan, fearing the worst. It was not customary for the Council did not call Padawans directly; they contacted them through their masters. However, Obi-Wan had a twinkle in his eye that made Anakin rethink the reason of the page.

"What is it, Master?" he asked. "You know something. I can tell."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I know nothing, my young Padawan."

"Right. And I'm a Toydarian."

Tucking the comlink back where it belonged, he turned to go back to their speeder. Noticing that Obi-Wan was not following, he turned around.

"Aren't you coming?"

"What?" Obi-Wan paused, as if confused. "No…you were the one called to the Temple. The Masters want to speak to you – not me."

"Right…" Anakin nodded his head, and headed off in the direction that would take him back to the speeder they used to get down here.

At the Temple, Anakin's stomach started to curl up into a tiny knot. Maybe the Council had found out about his feelings for Padmé, perhaps they were going to send him on a mission to get him away from her, or they were just going to expel him on the spot…

A thousand thoughts rushed through Anakin's head, each progressively worse than the previous one. When he finally reached the Council chamber, he felt as if he had no stomach left and was glad that he had decided not to eat. Nervously he entered the Council room, bowed, and faced Yoda and Mace.

"Anakin Skywalker," Mace said simply, eying him.

"Yes, Master?" Anakin replied, his voice small.

"It has been thirteen years since you entered this Temple for training as a Jedi. And during that time, you have showed remarkable success and abilities, despite your age."

Anakin swallowed. He did not like where this was going.

Yoda spoke up. "Time for a change it is. No longer a Jedi Padawan you shall be."

"Excuse me?"

The blood pounding in his head stopped. The only thing he could hear was a slight ringing in his ears. His heart stopped in his chest and he felt like he couldn't breathe.

His worst fears were coming true.

The next thing Yoda would tell him was that he was no longer a Jedi.

He had no idea how, but the Masters must have found out about Padmé and he had not even told her how he felt. Bitterly, he thought that now he would have plenty of time to let her know, and he would not even have to worry about the Council anymore.

"Time for you to take the Trials it is, young Skywalker."

Anakin stared at the green Master, stammering as his heart began to beat again. "Wait – what?"

"This Council has decided that because of your remarkable advancement, especially in light of recent events of which your Master informed us, that it is time for you to take the Trials. No longer shall you be a Padawan," Mace explained. "Tonight you shall go through them, and if successful, you will be granted the rank of Knight."

"Yes, Master. Thank you," Anakin said. He gave Mace a deep bow.

"You have six standard hours before the Trials. We suggest you spend this time reflecting on your training and meditating with the Force."

"Yes Masters. Thank you again."

He gave them another bow.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Yoda said, looking past Anakin.

Anakin's head whipped around, surprised to see that his Master was standing at the back of the room. Obi-Wan probably had been for the whole time and Anakin had not even sensed him enter the Council chamber.

"Yes, Master?" he said as he stepped forward to stand next to Anakin.

"If pass the Trials your Padawan does, give you the rank of Master we shall. Trained him well have you."

Yoda blinked, and a slight smile crept onto his face. Obi-Wan glanced to Anakin, both of them smiling at each other. The older Jedi turned back to Yoda.

"Yes, Master. A true honor this is." He too bowed.

"We shall see you tonight. You are dismissed," Mace said.

Master and apprentice bowed and left the Council.

Once outside the room, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan with a smile on his face. "You knew about this all along, didn't you Master?"

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan said, smiling in return.

"I knew it. That's why you didn't get nervous when they called me. You knew what they were doing."

"I had a feeling about it, yes."

"What made them change their mind?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "I had a few words with them about my opinion on the matter…and they seemed to have reached the same conclusion as I."

"And what's that, Master?"

"That you have learned all you can from me. You have grown enough in the Force that you no longer need a mentor."

"I'll never stop learning from you, Master."

"You flatter me, my very young apprentice."

"You're calling me that just to try and annoy me, Master."

"And the same with you," Obi-Wan said and gave Anakin a hearty pat on his shoulder.

Anakin grinned widely at Obi-Wan, and both the Jedi knew that without each other they would not have reached this point. It was an accomplishment for both of them, and they both knew, despite the lack of the formal attachment from now on, they would remain very close.

* * *

Nearly five hours later, Anakin found himself sitting in a meditation room and completely unable to concentrate. His stomach, while it returned briefly when he realized he was still a Jedi, had again receded into a tiny ball. The last time he could remember being so nervous was when he stood before the Council the first time when Qui-Gon brought him from Tatooine.

Then, he stood before the Jedi as a small child, scared and nervous.

Now, thirteen years later he was a man, strong in the Force with his abilities honed and soon to be knighted.

It really was amazing.

If only his mother had lived to see it.

Anakin took a deep breath and tried to push thoughts of his mother away. They would only distract him.

_Blast…it's not like I'm already distracted. Sitting here is making me feel suffocated; I have to get out of here…!_

Nervously, Anakin slowly shut down his connection to the Force. He did not want any of the Masters sensing his sudden absence so soon before the Trials. As deftly as he could he made his way out of the Temple.

Twenty minutes later he stood in front of Padmé's door. Heart pounding, he knocked on the door.

Silence.

She must be working with the refugees. He knocked again and waited for a couple seconds. Just as he was about to turn away and go back to the Temple, the door opened.

"Anakin?" Padmé said softly. Her voice sounded raspy.

He whirled around to face her.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to interrupt anything," he apologized.

"Oh, no…I was just taking a nap. It was an early morning with the refugee work today." She opened the door for him to come in. He nodded, and walked in past her.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around much over the past few days," Anakin said as he took a seat on her couch.

"Don't worry about it. You worry too much."

"I can't help but worry about you."

The comment hung in the air for a moment as Padmé looked him over.

"You're nervous about something else, too. I can tell. What's wrong, Anakin?"

He took a breath before answering her. In a rush he said, "I'm taking the Trials tonight. I'm going to become a Knight or…well, I don't know what."

Padmé let out a little squeal, an atypical thing for her to do. Without another word she leaned over and squeezed him so tight he thought his ribs would crack. Anakin let out a gasp as her embrace tightened. She let go of him and when she pulled away her face was shining.

"That's wonderful, Anakin. I don't really know what to say! I'm sure you'll do fine. I've only ever heard good things about you from Obi-Wan."

"Yeah, but I'm still nervous like you wouldn't believe."

"Don't you worry. You'll be great, you'll see."

She hugged him again, and this time Anakin held on to her, too. He took a deep breath, feeling her close, and knew that it would be fine. Her words were exactly what he needed to hear.

"What's going to happen to Obi-Wan?" she asked.

"Assuming I pass, he'll become a Master. He's got a lot riding on this too…talk about no pressure," Anakin joked. "But I'm just not sure how things will be after tonight if I'm a Knight."

"Huh?" Padmé's face crinkled in confusion.

"Obi-Wan's always been by my side every day for the past thirteen years. I'll be going on assignments myself, and he won't be there. I just can't imagine what that will be like."

Anakin shifted in his seat but kept his arm around Padmé.

"On the other hand, it will be kind of nice because I won't have him, and the rest of the Council, breathing down my neck at every move I make."

"Just what are you implying, Anakin?" Padmé said as she narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew he meant something more than what his words implied.

"I can come see you when I want, and I don't have to worry about how to convince Obi-Wan to let me see you."

Before she could respond, Anakin leaned down and kissed her.

"Padmé…" Anakin started, and the way he trailed off made him sound worried.

"Anakin, it's going to be fine. You'll pass."

He looked her over, his hand trembling on her cheek. He took in everything about her.

Her hair – the light dancing off her dark curls.

Her eyes – simply beautiful. Deep brown, he could sit and gaze into them and forget the rest of the world around him.

Her voice – light and musical, like a song on the wind that only whispered in his ear.

The way she sat in front of him made her seem small and delicate. Her legs were tucked close to her and crossed at the ankle in a most royal manner. Folded in her lap, her hands remained close to her body. The slightest thing could break her.

Anakin knew that it was his duty to protect her, keep her from all that sought to harm her.

Even if it meant risking his allegiance to the Jedi Order.

"No. It's not that. I – I love you."

The words tumbled out of Anakin's mouth and when he finished his heart stopped up in his throat. A slight ringing sounded in his ears as the blood pounded in his head, making everything seem far away.

Now her silence threatened to stop his heart. He waited for her say something, anything at all.

"Oh, Anakin," Padmé whispered as she pulled herself up closer to him. "I love you too. But that doesn't make it right."

"Why?"

"You're a Jedi," she stated, making it sound like it fixed the problem.

"Please, don't do this now, Padmé. Please," Anakin pleaded with her. The last thing he needed right now was her doubting this. He knew it was right, regardless of the Jedi, and for him there was no going back.

"Be realistic, you know it can't work out."

He leaned away from her so he could look her in the eyes again.

"I can make it work. We can't change how we feel about each other now. When I become a Knight, I promise you it can work. Please don't go away now and leave me here. Promise me you'll be there when I finish my Trials."

Anakin took her hand in his and locked his fingers with hers. After a second he squeezed her hand to encourage her.

Padmé searched his face, her mind tumbling. The more she fought her feelings for him, the stronger they grew. In her month's time on Coruscant she fell in love with him. Yet she could not avoid the small warning in the back of her mind that all this was wrong. It was too much for Anakin to hide from the rest of the Jedi.

"Please. What have we got to loose?" he pleaded with her, sounding more desperate.

Wishing there were something he could do to help her come to her decision, Anakin watched her. This was something she had to choose on her own – no Jedi mind tricks would work here. And Anakin wanted to know that what she felt for him was sincere, not the fabrication of false influence.

"Alright. I promise," she whispered, her heart pounding.

In response Anakin said nothing but held her as close as he could. Padmé buried her face against his chest. The words she said echoed in Anakin's ears. His worry for the trials melted away and he closed his eyes.

"I should go," Anakin said softly in her ear a few minutes later. There was just enough time for him to get back to the Temple and meet Obi-Wan at the Council chamber on time.

Padmé squeezed him in response. "Okay. Best of luck – I know you can do it."

He gave her one last squeeze and a kiss on the top of her head. She moved to get off the couch, letting him up. Anakin walked over to the door and began to let himself out. Halfway through the door, she reached up and tugged on his arm.

"Wait, Anakin," she said. He turned around and before he could say anything she hugged him again.

"I have to go," he said again, a little urgently this time.

Padmé did not say anything in response. Instead, she pulled him down to her and kissed him. The move caught Anakin completely off guard, but it was a pleasant surprise. She broke the kiss as suddenly as she started it.

"Now you can go," she said with a smile.

Not sure how to break the moment, but knowing he had to in order to avoid being late, he muttered another goodbye and forced himself to turn down the hall. He raced across Coruscant back to the Temple.

Near bursting with the will to get this over and done with, Anakin headed straight for the High Council room. All the while he kept an eye out for his Master.

_Hopefully Master no more after this…_he hoped to himself.

"Anakin!" someone called out. Anakin whirled around to see Obi-Wan standing behind him.

"Blast…I've been looking for you everywhere. Where have you been?" Obi-Wan said. He waved his hand dismissively. "It's of no matter, I found you. Quick, this way."

Obi-Wan turned around, walking the way that they just came. Anakin darted to catch up to him.

"I thought I had to meet the Council, Master. Where are we going?"

"You were supposed to meet me up there, but I found you anyways. I have to take you down to where the Trials are held."

Anakin could not think of anything to say. He realized how lucky he was that Obi-Wan had found him – being late for the Trials could have very bad repercussions.

"At the trials I cannot go with you, and there will be no one else there but you," Obi-Wan said, walking swiftly. "If you succeed, which I have no doubt that you will, you will find another door which will allow you to exit. On the other side of that door will be the Council and myself. We will take you back to the Council room and you will recite the Jedi Code. From that point on, you will be a Knight."

Obi-Wan stopped, having reached a grey and unassuming door in the heart of the Temple. He turned to Anakin.

"But Master, what if I don't make it through the Trials?"

"Have no fear of that, Anakin. You are here because you are ready. There have only been a few select Jedi that did not complete the Trials. I know you will not become one of them." Obi-Wan gave Anakin a reassuring smile. "It's been a pleasure to train you, Anakin. I couldn't think of anyone else that I would have rather had as an apprentice. I wish you the best of luck, and I will see you on the other side."

"Thanks," Anakin muttered. Obi-Wan started to walk away, but Anakin called him back. "Wait, Master, could you take this?"

Anakin wrestled his robe off and held it out to Obi-Wan. With a smile on his face, Obi-Wan reached out through the Force and brought the robe to him. Once he had it in his grasp he turned and continued in the direction he started.

Anakin turned to the door and took a deep breath.

This was it.

Either he would come out a Knight, or…he didn't know what.


	11. Chapter 11

11

The silver door opened before Anakin. Taking one last deep breath, he entered the room.

Only to be enveloped in complete darkness.

Unsure of what to do Anakin stood there for a few seconds, trying to reach out through the Force, only to find it was completely different than he had ever felt it before.

Around him he felt it pulsating in the room, yet when he tried to go beyond the confines of the room it was as if someone placed a damper on it. Just faintly could he make out the rest of the Jedi in the Temple and, like the softest whisper, the rest of Coruscant.

Regardless, the search gained him no new insight as to what he should do.

_Snap-hiss_.

Anaking whirled around to find the sound. There was still no light in the room except for an eerie red glow. Able to finally see, he was disturbed to find that the room seemed to be without walls for the light did not reflect of any surface. Even more disturbing, the red lightsaber blade providing the only illumination hovered above the ground.

Reaching out to the Force to control his nervousness, Anakin approached the lightsaber cautiously. He did not move to attack it, but his right hand stayed close to his own.

Suddenly the red blade swung at him, aiming to slice his legs out from under him. Anakin jumped while grabbing his lightsaber off his belt and igniting it. He landed and circled the deadly weapon before him. A cloaked form became visible. Its hand holding the lightsaber was covered by the dark cloak it wore. Anakin held his own weapon close to him, waiting for another attack. He did not want to start fighting this strange apparition without understanding why it was here and what it wanted with him.

The red blade swung out again, making Anakin block to his left. The two lightsabers stayed crossed then the cloaked figure swung at Anakin's right, then his left again.

Both times he blocked the attacks, moving around the figure in a circle.

For several minutes they danced around, Anakin always on the defense. Thoughts ran through his head but he forced himself to focus on the task at hand and not get distracted by them. The lightsabers flashed and hummed, clashing together to throw a light that was almost purple in the room. Anakin focused more on the Force, and Padmé flashed through his mind – especially the words she promised to him. The Force surged through Anakin like he never felt before.

The other figure stopped attacking Anakin as suddenly as he started. The red lightsaber drew close to the cloaked person, enabling Anakin to see that a dark hood was pulled over the apparition's face. Anakin withdrew his own blue blade, keeping it ignited but in a neutral position.

"Your thoughts dwell on your mother," the figure rasped in a deep voice.

Anakin stared at it.

"She has passed from this life, yet you still cling to her."

That statement made Anakin bristle with anger, but he maintained control over his feelings and made no move to attack the masked Jedi. The mysterious figure spoke more, in the backwards expression of Yoda:

"Weave a web around you, you have started. Careful you must be or ruin you it will. On Padmé do your thoughts dwell, around her is this web woven."

The thing paused.

"I am your destiny, Anakin Skywalker. Your future is not clouded – Yoda was wrong…about a great many things."

_No. You are not my destiny. I am in control of my destiny._

In his mind, Anakin told himself that this was not real; this Dark Jedi was trying to stir his emotions and make him loose control…

The red lightsaber twirled around in the bearer's hand, daring Anakin to attack. Anakin's grip on his own lightsaber tightened as the fleeting thought of swinging went through his mind.

Yes…he could do it. He could raise his lightsaber, bring it back and swing –

The dark figure would have no idea what happened to it. Anakin was faster, stronger, more adept in the Force than the other Jedi, than this _thing._

He could see the figure's head rolling across the floor, a threat no more to him. Or the rest of the Jedi.

_No._

It was a simple word. One his mother said he learned first, like so many other children in the galaxy. And he used it to plague her – and later on the Jedi, Obi-Wan included.

"Anakin..." the thing hissed, "you cannot run from what awaits you. The choices you make are not choices – you merely react to a world. You know what you will become and you know you have no choice against it."

_No_. _I don't think so._ I _control _my _destiny!_

"You control nothing! Your failure to understand this will be your undoing!"

Anakin simply kept his gaze on the faceless thing. He knew he was infuriating it. The more it taunted him the more desperate its voice became.

Realizing that Anakin could not be swayed with this method of persuasion the figure switched tactics. It threatened, "If you do not accept your destiny you will loose what you hold closest to you."

Losing Padmé…or joining this darkness, this Dark Jedi, through striking him down…

Anakin could not accept either. He closed his eyes.

Padmé was in the room with him; whispering to him what he should do, telling him that she feared nothing.

"Choose!"

In an epiphany Anakin realized she would love him. Instantaneously his sense of the Force expanded out of the room, reaching out to the entire galaxy.

Even in death Padmé would love him.

Love was the Force.

His mother was already in the Force, she may have passed away physically, but she was still with Anakin. As long as he could remember her, and as long as he had a connection to the Force, she was with him. Anakin knew it would be the same for Padmé.

There was no death.

Only the Force.

"I choose neither," Anakin said steadily, holding his lightsaber.

The pain for those he loved grew stronger, almost overwhelming Anakin but he stood his course. The cloaked figure let out a yell of frustration. It brought the red lightsaber back, ready to make its final cut.

"THERE IS NO DEATH! THERE IS ONLY THE FORCE!" Anakin bellowed at the top of his lungs, raising his lightsaber over his head so that it was parallel to the floor.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the Force to greet him; he would be with Padmé and his mother –

The sound of a door flying open brought Anakin out of his trance and he cracked one eye open. There, just across the room, was an open door. His heart pounding, he thumbed his lightsaber off and clipped it back onto his belt.

Each step seeming an eternity, he walked over to the open door. Anakin close his eyes and let the Force guide him to the door. Once he was out of the room he opened his eyes slowly.

Obi-Wan stood in front of him, a large smile growing on his face. The High Council formed a ring around Obi-Wan, watching Anakin with great interest.

Without a word, Yoda turned and began to walk away. The rest of the Council followed, Obi-Wan and Anakin in tow.

As he followed the Council and Obi-Wan, Anakin's hands began to shake. His mind could not comprehend the meaning of what just happened to him. Despite his beginnings as a slave and being too old for standard training, he had become a Jedi. Not just a Padawan – a full-fledged Knight.

In his heart, he knew his mother was proud, wherever she was after death. Padmé would be proud when he told her. Next to him, he could feel the pride radiating through his Master, no, former Master. While his mother was dead, a part of the Force, these two other people cared greatly for Anakin. Perhaps he was not as alone as he thought.

Shortly they reached the Council chamber. On their journey through the Temple, they caught side-glances and hushed whispers. News of a Padawan taking the trials traveled fast in the Temple, and the rumor that the Chosen One was passing through his this night flew like wildfire.

Yoda lead the way into the Council room, standing before his seat. The rest of the Masters followed suit, and Obi-Wan lead Anakin to the center of the room so that he stood directly in front of Yoda. When everyone stood in the proper place, Yoda spoke:

"Witnessed the success of Anakin Skywalker we have. His dedication to the Force and the Order shall he give by reciting the Jedi Code, and completed is his training. A Jedi Knight he shall be."

Yoda fell silent and looked to Anakin, who swallowed nervously before beginning.

"There is no emotion; there is peace." Anakin's voice sounded hollow and dry to himself, but he continued, "There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is no –"

"Masters!" a Jedi cried out, opening the door to the Council chamber and cutting off Anakin.

As one, the whole room turned to gape at the intruder. Several seconds of heavy silence passed.

"What do you think you are doing? Can you not see that we are in the middle of a Knighting Ceremony?" Mace roared, truly loosing his temper for the first time that Anakin ever saw.

The poor Jedi who came into the room trembled.

"Apologies, Masters…it's Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, he says it's an extreme emergency."

"I do not care what kind of emergency the Chancellor is having! I do not care if the sun has blown up and we all have three seconds to live! YOU DO NOT INTERRUPT A KNIGHTING CEREMONY!"

"I'm sorry Master Windu, but he said it was urgent, that I had to get you right away, no matter what…"

Mace looked to Yoda, seething. A blink from the smaller Jedi calmed him down and he regained control of his anger.

"What did the Chancellor say about this emergency?" he asked in a steady voice, all traces of anger gone.

"He said something about one of the Republic systems being under attack."

"Sithspawn," Obi-Wan muttered under his breath. As soon as he said it, he glanced around the room. Anakin looked at him, trying to restrain a chuckle despite the severity of the situation. The comment went unnoticed among the Masters.

Mace sighed heavily before responding.

"In that case, we shall go."

"Yes, go we shall. Defend this Republic we must," Yoda agreed with a heavy tone of surrender.

"Anakin, Obi-Wan, would you please go with us? The Chancellor will most likely want to speak with you too," Mace said as he stepped past the two. His voice had an edge like a little of his anger was creeping back.

"Absolutely," Obi-Wan answered for the both of them. He followed Mace and Yoda out of the Council room, with Anakin in tow.

Anakin had no choice but to go with the Masters. The last thing he wanted to do was go to Palpatine's office. Something about the dark figure reminded Anakin of the Supreme Chancellor. After that, he told himself, he could go see Padmé – without worry.


	12. Chapter 12

Falling Night

12

In the privacy of his quarters, General Hill sat at his desk causally, his feet kicked up on the desktop. He leaned back in his chair, taking in the room before him.

The walls were now blue, just as he wanted.

Holographic maps displayed battles being fought all over the galaxy. All of them famous battle of the past, of course.

General Hill was watching history before his eyes. But the image he focused most on was one of the future –

The plans for the coming attack on the Republic.

The image was basic, really. It was a simple map of the galaxy, with Separatist ships marked as blue dots on the map and the Republic markes as red ones. Hill smiled to himself as he saw the growing red around the Honoghr system.

The Republic was buying the deception so much that they had gone beyond the proverbial vornskr hunting up the wrong tree – they were in the wrong forest altogether. There was no sign that the Jedi knew there was even a deception. According to Dooku they were about to pull themselves out of the war.

That was something not even Sidious expected. Hill knew he had to be pleased at that news; it almost guaranteed a Separatist victory.

"General Hill," a slippery Neimoidian voice called out.

Instantly, Hill took his feet off the desk and straightened his stature. "Yes?"

"We are here to report that the Trandoshans have agreed to our terms," Nute Gunray said.

"That's excellent, Viceroy. Is there anything else you need to tell me, or did you merely come here to bother me with trivialities?"

The Neimoidian froze in his place, confused. "I meant no offense, General." His eyes darted around the room. He dared not look at any of the displays on the walls too closely.

Hill suppressed a smile. The holograms had the affect he hoped they would.

"You question my plan, Viceroy. It should be enough for you that Lord Sidious approves of it."

"I do not understand what we are doing, when–"

"And that is why you failed to hold onto a simple planet like Naboo," Hill leaned forward and hissed. "You cannot see beyond commerce – that is why you failed. You failed to dispose of Queen Amidala then, and now she still runs free."

"Queen Amidala is dead."

"Don't be stupid. Those guards you sent to assassinate the royal family had less intelligence than your battle droids. Queen Amidala is alive – and she's under the protection of the Jedi."

"Impossible!"

This was why Hill hated the Neimoidians. They were so stubbornly stupid, even when the truth smacked them in the face.

"It's no matter now. The only great loss is that you do not have your revenge."

Gunray stared at him, seething.

"As to my plan," Hill continued to rile the hapless Viceroy, "there is no need for you to worry yourself with it. Thanks to your friends in the Techno Union the Republic cannot see _or_ track us. They don't know what we plan to do – and because they don't know where we are they cannot do anything to stop us. So I suggest you stop questioning me before you find yourself facing the surprise end of our technology.

"Now do you get it, Viceroy?"

"Yes…yes." Gunray nodded his head submissively.

"Good," Hill said icily. "You are to remain with the Trandoshans. And whatever you do, _keep the Republic out of our _business_ at all costs_."

"It is done, sir."

The Neimoidian bowed, an act Hill thought ridiculous, and left.

Three day's time.

Hill took a deep breath and one last glance at the galactic hologram before leaving the room for his personal one.

Yes, only three days.

Then twilight for the Republic would fall.

* * *

Anakin walked with Obi-Wan nervously over to the Senate building. Mace and Yoda said nothing the whole way, so Anakin was uncomfortable about breaking the silence. Furthermore, he did not know what to say – for what could be said?

The Knighting ceremony had been interrupted, and Mace was angry about it. There was nothing that could be changed. Anakin sighed to himself and tried to relax.

Things would work out.

They always did.

Mace led the way to Palpatine's chambers, still trying to control his anger. Of all the times for the Council to be interrupted, Palpatine had to choose this one. On top of that, Mace was irritated that the Chancellor would take this opportunity to attempt to blackmail the Jedi with yet another threat such as the last one he gave.

That really pushed Mace over the edge – he knew the threat was coming.

If this exemplified the Republic they were supposed to protect, Mace figured that the Republic could go ahead and fall. This was not what the Jedi stood for; this was not what they worked to protect.

Aggressively, Mace pulled the door to the Senate building and did not bother to hold it open for the rest of the Jedi behind him.

As he walked by Mace, Yoda gave him a concerned look, as if to tell him that he needed to get control of his feelings. Mace made a sound deep in his throat, like a growl. Yoda gave him a sterner look in response.

Without a word, Mace walked down the hall to Palpatine's, leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin to get the door for themselves.

In the Chancellor's chambers, Yoda was the fist to speak.

"Called us you have. What emergency have you?"

"We have just gotten word of where the Separatists intend to attack," Palpatine answered. "They wish to invade the world of Honoghr. However, we suspect that they have other plans. We have received intelligence that suggests Kashyyyk is the true target."

Palpatine narrowed his eyes at Yoda, as if daring him to disagree. Yoda only let out a ragged sigh.

"What do you want us to do? Do you even know when this attack is going to happen?" Mace said, his jaw set. "Furthermore, it makes no sense for the Separatists to attack Honoghr. Yes, they are expanding throughout the Mid- and Outer Rims, but Honoghr is not close to their area."

"A façade it is," Yoda said wisely.

"But what would the Separatists want with Kashyyyk?" Obi-Wan asked.

Visibly Palpatine's shoulders slumped in resignation. "They can want only one thing: to enslave the Wookieees."

The statement ushered in a moment of silence as everyone realized the severity of the statement.

Through the Force, Anakin felt a tremor of sadness from his master. Personally, he felt a desire to hunt down and destroy all of the Separatists for even considering forcing the Wookiees into slavery. It had less to do with the fact that they were Wookiees, Anakin was somewhat indifferent to alien species since he viewed everything as life, but more to do with that he understood the humiliation of being a slave.

"I would hope that the Jedi would go and stop the Separatists before they even attack. That way, they know they cannot get away with this kind of action against the Republic. Surely you will not let one of our worlds become enslaved to these monsters."

Palpatine sat down behind his desk.

"True, but the Separatists may be trying to throw us off the track with Kashyyyk – intending for somewhere else to be their target," Obi-Wan offered. "It would be best to send in a team, see if there truly is a threat."

Mace and Yoda looked at him, Yoda giving him a nod of understanding.

"Right is Master Kenobi. Send in a team we shall, assess the situation on Kashyyyk," Yoda gave in.

"However, if we decide that there is no need for action we will not take it. You have pushed into this, but if you say that the Wookiees are going to be invaded we do have a responsibility to protect them," Mace said. "We're going there only to save the ones we lost, Chancellor. That includes the Wookiees."

"Alright then. It's good to know that I have you on the side of the Republic,' Palpatine said with a smile to the Jedi.

"Back to the Temple we must go. Discuss this with the rest of the Council we shall," Yoda said as he got off his chair. He did not look at anyone else but Palpatine as he did so. Slowly he hobbled over to the door and proceeded to open it.

"Excuse me, Master, Chancellor. I would be willing to work with Bail Organa on this matter – as I have worked with him in the past," Obi-Wan cut in.

The small green alien and the leader of the galactic government both looked at him.

"Fine it is with me," Yoda said. His eyes slid to the Palpatine.

"I see no problem with it," he agreed. "With you and Senator Organa in charge, I feel very secure in saying that the Republic is in good hands, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan gave him a half-hearted smile.

"Back to the Temple we must go, Chancellor. Thanks to you for alerting us to this threat," Yoda said, making his way to the door.

"I'm proud that there is hope for the Republic," Palpatine called out to the disappearing Yoda.

Yoda said nothing in return. Mace also said nothing as he got out of his chair and made his way to the door. He merely nodded in acknowledgement to Palpatine.

Obi-Wan followed the two masters, with Anakin in tow. As Anakin was on his way out the door, he called out to the new Knight.

"Master Anakin?"

Anakin whirled around to face Palpatine.

"Uh, yes?"

"Might I have a word with you?"

Obi-Wan turned around at this statement, looking from Palpatine to Anakin. Anakin shrugged with a confused look on his face.

"I'll see you back at the Temple, Anakin," Obi-Wan told his former Padawan.

"Yes, Mas – I mean, alright Obi – um, yeah. See you back there," Anakin stammered, forgetting that Obi-Wan was no longer his master.

Obi-Wan nodded and left the room. When Obi-Wan was gone, Anakin turned back to Palpatine.

"Yes, Chancellor?"

Palpatine came around to the front of his desk before replying. He folded his hands together as he spoke, "I see you have become a Knight, Master Anakin. That's wonderful. I just wanted to congratulate you on that accomplishment."

"Oh, um, thank you," Anakin muttered as he shifted on his feet. He did not want to tell Palpatine that he interrupted the Knighting ceremony.

After all, the Republic falling under attack was more important. Without the Republic, there were no Jedi and without the Jedi there was no Republic.

"I also wanted to thank you for helping the Jedi seeing the true meaning of the situation. I hope you understand that now that the Jedi are willing to do what they must do, there is hope for this Republic."

"Please, Chancellor. I hardly had any influence with that. I think that Master Yoda and the rest of the Council saw that the fight was inevitable. We couldn't stay out of things forever, and if the Republic is under attack then it is our place to defend it."

Anakin looked straight at Palpatine, feeling a little more confident in the presence of the Chancellor.

Palpatine looked over him with a closer eye, and it made a shiver go up Anakin's spine. In the corner of his mind he felt something trying to worm its way into his thoughts through the Force. He pushed it away while keeping his face expressionless. A tiny part of him suspected it was Palpatine – there had been other similar, strange occurrences in the presence of the Chacellor.

"You had a pretty spectacular event happen to you, from what I understand. You made Master Obi-Wan have a false vision through the Force," Palpatine said, a tone mystery in his voice. "That's what made the Jedi finally decide to let you take the Trials."

It was not a question, Anakin knew. He said nothing in response, completely at a loss for words. His jaw dropped open slightly.

"Did you know that there are powers even greater than that which could make a Jedi see something more than just a simple lightsaber attack?"

Anakin shook his head. Palpatine stepped closer to him, but Anakin took a step back. This whole situation was starting to give him a bad feeling.

"You _are_ the Chosen One, Anakin. I can tell you now that the Jedi will not help you come to terms with that. When they fail, you still have one place to go – you can come to me. I can teach you things that no Jedi will."

Anakin took another step away from Palpatine. Now he was really starting to worry, almost feeling scared. His heart beat faster, and he reached out to the Force in a desperate attempt to keep his emotions under control. It was obvious that the Chancellor could read his mind, or at least something damn close to it. Anakin wanted to cut that option off from the Palpatine as fast as he could – there were things in his mind that the older man could not know.

_What in the blazes does he mean by that? What could I possibly have to gain from him – what could he teach me that the Jedi wouldn't?_ he thought to himself.

The Chancellor went on:

"Remember, Anakin, I am more than I appear to be. If you ever need help with anything, or want to learn something…I might be able to help you."

For a second, Anakin simply gaped at the Chancellor.

"Think about it Anakin. Look back on your training. The Jedi have always been against you, they didn't want to train you, they didn't want you to see your mother, they let you become a Knight so late…so many things.

"They see you as a burden they were forced to deal with because Master Qui-Gon was reckless and you were dumped on them. You are the Chosen One, and you should not be held back."

Trying to keep his anxiety under control, Anakin could not help but look at what Palpatine was telling him. It was true – sometimes he felt that the Jedi were holding him back. He could sense new things through the Fore, and he could sense more than Master Yoda even, yet they would not listen to him. Not even Obi-Wan, who usually was very open-minded to his Padawan.

Anakin swallowed nervously.

"I – I should get back to the Temple," Anakin croaked, his mouth dry. He turned to leave.

"Alright. You do have your duties, I understand. But please, Anakin, know that you never have to be alone in this galaxy. There is a place you can always go – I am always here."

Those words struck a chord in Anakin.

Sometimes the Jedi could be so difficult that Anakin felt he had nowhere to go but Padmé's. If anything happened to her, then he did now know where he would be. While Palpatine made him feel on edge, it was comforting to know that he at least had one more place to turn to. A friend would be good to have, no matter what. Anakin nodded to Palpatine, thanked him, and left the Senate building.

Wandering through Coruscant, the Chancellor's words bounced around Anakin's head. Despite his misgivings, he felt that Palpatine's words about what the Jedi would teach him and what he said about how the Jedi felt about him were correct. All Anakin had to do was look back at the past of his training to know that Palpatine spoke the truth.

In his speeder, Anakin came within the sights of the Temple but could not bring himself to go inside. Perhaps it was a good time to see Padmé. She always had a way of putting his mind at ease.

Anakin nodded to himself and made his way past the Temple. Within twenty minutes, taking his time, he reached the building where Padmé lived. As he rode the turbolift up to her floor, he paced the few steps that the turbolift spanned. His right hand toyed with the fray on the inside of his sleeve.

Maybe Obi-Wan was right; maybe he was spending too much time with Padmé. There were things he missed by constantly being with her, but he could not keep himself away – especially now that he knew she loved him too. Only a few hours passed since she said those words, but it seemed like days to Anakin.

Knocking a few times, Anakin hoped that she was home. He reached out with the Force just to make sure.

There.

She was just on the other side of the door, and the sense of her was growing stronger.

"Anakin?" Padmé asked, opening the door. "Anakin!"

She threw her arms around him and squeezed him tight.

"How did your Trials go?" she said as she glanced up at his face. Noticing that something was bothering him she got a worried look. "What's wrong?"

In response, Anakin held her as tightly as he could, letting the Force flow through him. Holding her felt so good, it banished his worries over the Chancellor's words.

"Shh. Don't speak. Just let me hold you."

Nothing could make him let go of her, leave her. After a second, he leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head.

"How were your Trials?" she asked.

He looked down at her and could not help but smile. For a second he did not say anything.

"I did it. I'm a Knight," he said when he finally spoke. "Can you believe it? Only after thirteen years, I'm a Knight. Most Jedi only become Padawans after that amount of time, they spend nearly another ten years training after that…"

"Oh Anakin, I knew you could do it. I knew you could. And you came here a nervous wreck!"

"Hush, you. I'd like you to take them and see how you handle it."

He looked down at her, thinking that she never looked so beautiful. Without a second thought he kissed her. When he broke it off, he watched her face.

"What happens now?" she whispered.

"Whatever you want," he replied softly, putting his hand on her cheek again, noting how soft her skin was.

For a second she leaned away from him as her eyes searched his face.

"I don't know, Anakin."

Without another word Padmé let go of him and went back inside her apartment. Anakin's brow wrinkled in confusion, and he followed her inside. In slight irritation he clenched one hand into a fist and shook it a couple times, but as soon as he was inside he took a seat and tried to look normal. Talking about the Trials started to make him nervous all over again.

"Well, the good thing is that you made Knighthood," Padmé said from the small kitchen as she got a few things together. Anakin nodded in response as he looked down at the floor.

"I suppose so."

"It's what you wanted, though, right?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong? There's something bugging you, I can tell."

Padmé came over and sat down next to him. She handed him a cup filled with a red drink that smelled sweet and fruity. Gingerly, he took a sip. He took another drink then looked at her.

"I don't really know. A lot of things."

"Like what?" she pressed. "If you're going to keep coming around, you had just better get used to telling me things."

Anakin sighed then said, "The Republic expects an attack by the Separatists any day now, and they think that it's going to be on Kashyyyk. The Jedi have to fight, and that means I'll be going and…"

He trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought. Everything was just getting so weird; nothing was quite like how he expected it to turn out. Not knowing how to say what he wanted, he sighed, leaned forward in his seat and put his head in his hands. For a few seconds he sat there before Padmé came over next to him.

"Anakin, what's wrong?" She slid one arm around him and nuzzled close to him.

"I don't know, Padmé. I don't know. I should be happier, I just became a Knight today, and here I am all a mess. I thought that being a Knight would just make everything better….like magic or something."

_Instead, there's a battle being dropped on our heads, and then the Chancellor steps way beyond his boundaries…_

Padmé looked up at him, into his eyes. It was enough for him to realize that she knew there was more to what bothered him than he revealed. He took a deep breath before he spoke again.

"I…" Anakin stalled again, not knowing how to explain the Chancellor's words. Lamely, he made up the excuse, "I'm just afraid I won't get to see you again."

"Don't talk like that," Padmé said. "It's useless. I know you'll come back."

"How do you know that?"

She closed her eyes and turned her face into his chest.

"I just know. And plus, it's not an option. If you don't come back then I have no idea where I'd be or what I'd do."

Padmé's voice choked up in her throat. "I shouldn't be doing this, Anakin, but I can't help it. I just want to see what's best for you. I want you to know that no matter what, I'll be here for you. I'll always be by your side, Jedi Order or not."

Anakin wrapped his arms even tighter around her, not wanting this moment to end. The Force rushed through him, enhancing every emotion and sensation he felt. A soft moan of contentment escaped from deep in his chest.

"You have no idea what that means to me, Padmé," he whispered in her ear. His heart beat a little bit faster and he said, "I love you."

"I love you too."

"I don't know where I'd be without you either. You helped me through the Trials today."

"How?" Padmé pulled back from him slightly to get a good look at him.

He smiled.

"Loving you opens me up to the Force in a way I've never known, and I can feel what I need to do even more than ever when I think about you and focus on the Force at the same time. It's amazing. You're amazing."

Anakin stopped and put his hand on her face, his fingers trembling slightly. To him, it still felt awkward to touch her in such a way. He was just about to kiss her when she leaned up and kissed him.

Every part of him knew that there was nothing that could drive them apart now – not a battle, not the Jedi…

Nothing.

Anakin knew it was his job to bring love back to the Jedi; this was a part of the Force they had to understand. He kissed Padmé back warmly then kissed her again.

"I have an idea," Anakin said.

"What?"

"We could get married."

"_What_?"

"Think about it. It would solve our problems, we could go away for just a little bit, just you and me. We could be together the way we should be…before…"

He stopped speaking and searched her face. She stared back at him, confused.

"Are you mad?"

This was definitely not the response for which Anakin hoped.

"There's no one we know that could marry us. Everyone would know you're a Jedi at once. You'd be expelled. I can't let you just throw it all away like that."

"But I'm not giving everything away. You are what I want. And the Jedi don't have to find out…the Chancellor owes me a favor, he could help us out."

"_Palpatine_? First, I don't trust him. Second, he's the head of the Republic – he would tell the Jedi for sure."

A small well of anger rose in him, how dare she talk so about one of the few people Anakin could rely. He reached out to put a hand on her arm in the hopes of bringing her close to him again.

"So why not?" he pressed.

"It's too much. We're risking too much anyways as it is. And we're together right now, why should we do something that might put is in more danger of being found out?"

"We don't have to be found out. And plus, we're not together right now – at least the way we should be. Is it to much to ask that I want to be with you before something bad happens?"

Padmé sighed, not sure how to counter this. "Anakin, I don't think it's the right time now."

"Then when is the right time?" Anakin leaned forward, coming closer to her face.

Her eyes darted back and forth as she glanced him over.

Through the Force, he could sense she was trying to think about a thousand things at once, trying to analyze how everything might turn out because of a choice to go one way or the other. He took a deep breath but did not say anything, opting to let her think. The last thing he wanted to do was to force her into a choice that she would later regret.

Before she said anything, Padmé swallowed to clear her throat. "I don't know Anakin. I just can't do it right now."

The words hit Anakin so hard he could not breathe. He shook his head, eyes squeezed shut. When he looked back at her, he shifted in his seat.

_No, no_. _This can't be right – she loves – no –_

Anakin took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. Looking at her was hard. His throat constricted, tighter and tighter. Air, he needed air, he couldn't breathe. She had to have a reason.

"What?" he managed to say, his voice strangled. It sounded more like a plea – anything to get her to take back the words she said.

"I'm sorry, Anakin…it's just that I can't do that right now."

He looked at her again and felt something shift inside him. Anakin yanked his hand away from hers. With a cool, calculated voice he thought to himself, _Fine. If that's how she wants to be_.

"Alright. I understand," he said flatly.

"Please." Padmé reached out to touch his arm.

Subtly he moved away from her. He looked at her with a stony expression, his eyes cold. Sitting next to her, being in this room with her was enough to make him want to scream. How dare she think she could help him. She did not understand anything – he could _make_ her understand.

"I have an idea," Padmé said softly. "Maybe we could get married after all this mess is over. Like you said, it's dangerous with you having to go off and fight, and then…"

She trailed off, watching his face intently. Anakin blinked a couple times but did not say anything.

"I don't want to loose you…that's what I'm most afraid of. And if we wait…we can be sure that we won't loose each other. We can go somewhere, raise a family, have a normal life after this whole mess is over. I meant what I said – I'm never going to leave you."

_You know she's right_.

Anakin took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly, feeling a smile creeping onto his face. It would be better to wait until after the war. Maybe he could become a Master with more influence over the Jedi and thus in less danger of being expelled from the Order.

Then if they married…they could have a family in a safe and stable galaxy. Safety. Stability. They were what he wanted most, and what he wanted most for his family.

"Okay. Okay," he whispered. He pulled her close, never wanting to have again that feeling of losing her. "I think I can live with that."

"Are you sure?" Padmé looked at him with concern.

"If I get to have you at some time in my life…it's more than enough to keep me going."

Awhile later, after several kisses, squeezes, and love affirmations, they were curled up on the couch. Pamdé was tucked up against him, and Anakin wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around her.

Lying there, he felt himself drifting off into sleep and did not try to fight it. He reasoned that the day had been long, and this was something he needed before he could go back to the Temple. Deciding that the Masters would just have to deal with his feelings for Padmé, he fell asleep next to her for the second time.

* * *

"Do we have any idea how where the Separatist navy is going to attack?" Obi-Wan asked, looking straight at Bail Organa.

The Alderaanian senator shrugged. "We honestly have no idea. Initially, we found out that they were planning something for Honoghr but rumor points to Kashyyyk as their target."

"Anything more than rumors?"

Bail shook his head. "Unfortunately, no."

Fingers dancing over the controls for the display in the center of the room, Organa focused the map of the galaxy on the area around Kashyyyk. Obi-Wan studied it, thinking hard.

For the past couple hours, as soon as Organa had been able to draw himself away from the Senate, they had discussed the looming attack on the Republic. Organa wanted to meet in one of the map rooms of the Jedi Temple – there was nowhere private in the Senate building where they could safely discuss counter measures. Currently, the room was dimmed, most of the light coming from the holomap of the galaxy. Red and blue points of light, representing Separatist and Republic forces respectively, cast an eerie glow on the room.

"The problem is…" Bail admitted, "that we seem to have lost most of the Separatist fleet."

"_What_?" Obi-Wan exclaimed, completely astounded. "How in the blazes do we loose an entire kriffing _fleet_?"

"They've found some way to cloak themselves…I can't explain it. The experts over in Intelligence–"

Obi-Wan snorted.

"–have no idea either. They're even more stumped than we are," Bail said, ignoring Obi-Wan's expression of doubt.

"Do they have a cloaking device? Soemthing they could reasonably use in battle?"

"It's not impossible. The Separatists do have the alliance of the Techno Union."

"Well, that just makes everything so much easier," Obi-Wan said wryly, giving the map one more cursory glance. "So what do we have to go on?"

Organa's fingers moved over the map controls once more. Around the Honoghr system, pinpoints of yellow were illuminated.

"See those points? All initial intelligence points to the presence of ships – and large ones. Assuming that, you'd expect to find the Banking Clan communications frigates or at least a Commerce Guild support ship.

"But when we took a closer look, we found something entirely different. It's just some kind of gravity well so it looks like a ship is there when there isn't."

"So they're invisible _and_ fake?"

"Unfortunately."

Obi-Wan let out a heavy sigh. This new technology really put the Republic in a bad position. With most of the Separatist fleet missing, and then mock gravity wells making it appear the fleet was where it was not, it would be near impossible to track them at all.

"Have these anomalies moved at all, and if they have, is there any way to track them?"

"Yes and no," Organa answered. "In the past few hours, we've noticed that several of them have left the Honoghr system. The only problem is that to find them again, we have literally send out a team to scope out the system."

"Hmm." Obi-Wan studied the map for another second.

As he watched, Obi-Wan saw that Organa was right – a couple of the anomalies left the system of Honoghr, lessening the number of yellow dots shining in the map.

"And that's where we thought they were really going to attack?"

Organa nodded.

"It's a front," Obi-Wan said simply. "Honoghr doesn't have much value to offer the Separatists – I can tell you right now that they aren't going to do anything with it. At the most they want to lure us there, but the question is why."

"I agree completely. We've found no signs of imminent attack in the Honoghr system – once we figured out their bluff."

"So that leaves us back with Kashyyyk. The problem is that it doesn't offer much to the Separatists either…"

" Except for the Wookiees," Organa finished for him.

"Exactly what Palpatine said," Obi-Wan said.

"Do you have any ideas, Master Kenobi?"

"Please, call me Obi-Wan. We've worked on enough campaigns," Obi-Wan insisted. "And just a second…could you bring up a map of all Separatist territory again?"

The map broadened, increasing the number of red systems. Kashyyyk continued to flash. Putting his hand to his chin, Obi-Wan studied the map. Something bothered him about this. It almost seemed too easy that they learned about the attack on Kashyyyk.

"Do you think they might want something with Honoghr?"

Organa shrugged. "I don't see what they would want with it. It's populated with only a primitive sentient species. I think they're just trying to trick us into going there, if anything at all."

"Somehow, I feel that you're right."

Reaching out to the Force, Obi-Wan tried to gain some insight. He felt the undercurrents of deception, but nothing specific enough to tell him the Separatists' true intentions.

"I know they're up to something more than this – they have something bigger planned. We can't deploy the entire fleet against Kashyyyk _or_ Honoghr."

Organa raised his eyebrows slightly at the Jedi. "Are you sure? What if that is what they expect us to do – and thus are able to take both the planets?"

"And if we don't and they really attack somewhere else, we'll be stuck. In fact, that's about all the importance that Honoghr can serve. If we deploy the entire fleet there, all systems further in to the Core will be at greater risk for attack."

"True…"

"What we have to do is send most of the fleet to Kashyyyk. That way, if another system falls under attack, we have at least some hope of countering it. As for Honoghr…with no actual ships in the system, we can't assume there's going to be an attack. It'll just have to wait for another day."

"Perfect…catch the enemy in his own game and call their bluff."

Obi-Wan grinned. "But that's not all. Do we have any idea of when the Separatists plan to attack?"

"Oddly enough, the Chancellor discovered that it will be in approximately two day's time. Why?"

"We'll send in an intelligence team of our own, if you will. They'll arrive before we do, enough so that they can tell us if there is going to be an attack. From there, we'll deploy the fleet accordingly."

Organa glanced down at the chronometer on the map controls, sighing. "Unfortunately, I do have to return to the Senate. Palpatine is pushing new legislation, and I have to vote on it…"

"What does he want now?"

A grim look came over Bail's face. "He wants to limit Jedi involvement in the war, now that he has an army."

"I see," Obi-Wan said icily. "Tell him that as long the Jedi are around, we will do anything to protect the Republic. If he's not careful – suffice to say that…he will make many more enemies, ten thousand of them to be exact, that are close to home."

"I understand…but the problem is that too many senators are willing to go along with his proposals. There have been…strange mishaps to those who openly protest him."

Obi-Wan eye's narrowed. _And this is the person that Anakin has been going to for advice? What's wrong with that boy?_

"No doubt," he muttered. "That does not surprise me at all."

"No. We can only hope that when the war is over that he will step down."

"You had best be careful, Senator Organa," Obi-Wan said out of genuine concern for the senator. Over the years, having worked together so frequently, they had become good friends.

"I worry not. For, as long as there are Jedi, I have friends…and the Jedi have a friend."

Obi-Wan smiled, catching the hidden meaning behind Organa's words.

"I must be going…I shall inform the Chancellor of the plans at the soonest possible moment." Organa straightened his posture, speaking more clearly. "May the Force be with you, Master Kenobi."

"And the best of luck to you, Senator."

Organa nodded, and left the room. As soon as he was gone, Obi-Wan sighed, turning to look at the map still alight in the middle of the room. Stepping over to the control panel, he shut it off.

There were too many things to think about.

"_There have been mishaps…_" Organa's words echoed in his head.

Sighing, Obi-Wan shook his head. Unfortunately, this news had not surprised him in the least. For the past five years, give or take, Palpatine had grown greedier, the status of Chancellor was not enough for him. In three years, he managed to turn the strong Republic into a fearful society – feeding out of his hand, believing the carefully controlled news that came out of Palpatine's spin machine…

Soon the citizens of the galaxy would want someone to blame for this entire disaster.

And Obi-Wan knew all too well who the scapegoat would be:

The Jedi.

While Palpatine and his Senate were to blame, they managed to garner and maintain unparallel support throughout the Republic.

People loved Palpatine. He kept the Republic together through this time of crisis. They no longer loved the ones who had kept the Republic together for a thousand years.

And Anakin had allied himself with the man. Call it an act of stupidity, or one of self-preservation, it was what it was. Either way, it concerned Obi-Wan greatly.

Making his way out of the map room, he tried to stop worrying over his former Padawan. Anakin was a Knight. He could look after himself. As much as he tried to reassure himself, Obi-Wan could not stop his feelings of concern. Promising himself that he would track down the younger Jedi as soon as he reported to the Council the plan he and Bail agreed upon, Obi-Wan forced himself to lay aside his concern for the only brother he had known.

* * *

The lush planet of Kashyyyk loomed in the view of the cockpit. Tenner Quantos, an exotic looking Twi'lek, captained the _Whistle's Song _towards its destination. Next to her, her good friend Pela Ho'San, sat deep in meditation. Suddenly her eyes flew open, shimmering black in the light of the cockpit.

"They're here," Pela said, knowing that Tenner would understand what she meant.

Just off to the right of their cockpit, they could see the large ship from the InterGalactic Banking Clan lying in wait. There was no sign of other hostile ships, but the sight of the one was enough to make Tenner swallow.

Everyone knew that taking on one of the Banking clan's communications frigates with anything less than assault ship was pure tactical suicide. They were armored to the last bolt – carrying cargo that even the Hutts would not dare to drag through the spacelanes.

"So far they haven't done anything," Tenner replied calmly. "They're just sitting there, just as intelligence said they were. I'm going to navigate us down to the surface, there we can talk to the Wookiees and find out what they expect in the means of an attack."

She did not need to say that the presence of the Banking Clan ship clearly supported they hypothesis that the Separatists intended to attack. As the war broke out, these ships came to plague the Republic. There was no battle from which one of these communications frigates were absent.

Pela did not reply as she sank back into the Force. She knew well enough to trust in Tenner's flying abilities. Reaching out to the Separatists, she commented, "They are definitely going to attack. I can feel the anxiety coming from that ship like nothing else. The whole ship is astir. Wait–"

The thought did not get finished because at that second, the Separatists released a squad ARC-170 fighters. Twelve of the deadly ships flew towards them and their newly designed S-Foils locked into attack positions, almost making the ships look like an X.

At that second, Tenner jerked their ship hard to the left, having sensed them just before they appeared. Pela grunted as the restraints of the seat kept her from flying across the cockpit.

"Time for some evasive flying," Tenner said, glancing from the approaching fighters back to her control panel. There was almost a hint of exhilaration in her voice.

Pela rolled her eyes, her friend was rather fond of fast flying despite her Jedi training. She assumed that even Jedi had to have some sort of excitement in their lives, perhaps an effect of young Anakin Skywalker. He was known in the Temple for his flying skills, and hushed whispers passed around the younger female Jedi about his looks…

But Pela never indulged in those affairs.

Her focus was the Force, her purpose was to serve the Force.

As Tenner concentrated on evading the enemy fighters, Pela reached out to the Force to see what they intended to do. Right now they were ahead of the twelve fighters, which was odd.

"It has to be a warning," Pela said with her eyes close. "Wait – the pilots are clones, I can feel them yet at the same time I can't–"

For the second time in minutes she was cut off. This time, a husky voice crackled over the holocomm, although they received no image.

"Unkown ship, identify yourself or be destroyed immediately."

"This is the _Whistle's Song_. We're on diplomatic business for the Republic. We have no quarrel with you," Tenner said calmly, a completely different tone in her voice.

"Republic ship, stand down immediately. This is Separatist space."

"Not yet, as far as I am concerned," Tenner muttered to herself. Pela eyed her, warning her to be careful.

In response, the ARC fighters sped up, coming up close on them. A few red laser bolts flashed past them, narrowly missing their ship.

"They're _firing_ at us?" Tenner hissed. She did not elaborate on the thought, opting instead to send the ship into a steep dive. Pela braced herself in her seat as gravity took over and the planet rushed at them.

The Separtist fighters fired again. The husky voice came over the holocomm again, commanding, "Republic ship! Stand down immediately! Your presence here is illegal. Either turn around or be destroyed! You have been warned!"

"Oh, I don't think so!" Tenner looked over to Pela.

No words were needed.

Pela darted out of her seat, making her way to the center of the ship, where the controls for the ship's defenses were. Unlike other ships, which required a person to manually fire the weapons, this ship belonged to the Jedi. Only a person strong in the Force could make use of its weapons, meager as they were.

Sinking into a trance, Pela guided the light laser cannons to fire at the ARC-170 fighters. Just as they did with the Jedi, she fired a couple of warning shots at them. Despite the fact that they threatened to kill the Jedi, Pela had no interesting in slaughtering them; she could do that easily if she wished. After all, she was a Jedi, and Jedi fought only to defend when provoked.

The fighters, however, did not back off.

Through the Force, Pela felt that Tenner was about to bring the ship through a loop to throw off the enemy. Pela balanced herself and stopped firing the lasers for the briefest of seconds as gravity flipped and up became down.

In the cockpit, Tenner cursed. More fighters darted out of the Separatist hangar bays. They were having a hard enough time handling the twelve that first came after them, but now there were two whole squadrons, no, three…

Tenner cursed again as she saw that two heavily armored Commerce Guild ships came out of hyperspace, almost on top of them.

"PELA! GET BACK HERE!" she screamed as she threw the _Whistle's Song _into another dive to avoid becoming squashed by the bigger enemy ships.

Within seconds Pela reappared in the cockpit.

"Oh, not good." Pela took one look out at the new arrivals. She went to the back of the cockpit, binging up the Jedi Temple on their holocomm.

"Master Yoda! Master Yoda! This is the _Whistle's Song_, on mission to Kashyyyk. The attack has started, repeat, the attack has started. We just arrived, and Separatists began to move against us."

"Pela Ho'San?" Mace Windu spoke.

Pela stared at him for a second, expecting to speak with Yoda. "Yes, Master Windu. Tenner Quantos and I just came out of hyperspace to find the Separatists already here. They warned us to back off, then sent fighters against us. Now other ships have arrived, they are driving us–"

Pela stopped speaking for a second as she scrambled to stay on her feet.

"Tenner, would you please warn me before you do that again?" she screeched. She turned back to Mace. "Sorry, Master. The Separatists are attacking Kashyyyk. We don't know how many more troops they intend to send here – for now we have one Banking Clan communications frigate, and two Commerce Guild support ships. They all have ARC-170 fighters…we're being driven down to the surface of the planet."

She stopped again and braced herself as the force of Kashyyyk's gravity took hold of the small ship.

"Entering the atmosphere!" Tenner yelled from the pilot's seat.

"Please, Master Windu, send aide immediately. The Separatists are attacking the Republic. War is here again."

With that, she punched off the holocomm and darted back to her seat. She hoped that she could help Tenner land the ship in one piece. The enemy fighters continued to fire at them, hitting the ship now that Pela was no longer firing back at them. Coming down through the atmosphere, Pela could make out what appeared to be a village.

When the ship groaned and the surface lurched towards them at an alarming rate, she prayed that they would land in one piece.


	13. Chapter 13

To Hieiko and Fell Dragon, thank you again for your comments. :)

13

A jolt of anger from Anakin brought Obi-Wan out of his concentration.

The first thing that came to mind was what could the boy possibly done to get into trouble with the Council again...

Then he remembered Anakin was no longer his Padawan.

The past couple days left Obi-Wan feeling jilted; half the time he expected to see Anakin whenever he turned around, or to find him just around the corner. Add in the fact that he could still feel his former Padawan's emotions through the Force, and he felt like a ghost was stalking him.

Lately, Obi-Wan felt strange things from the younger Jedi. There were great surges in the Force that went though him, so strong that Obi-Wan could feel the power. Obi-Wan wasn't sure, but he suspected this had something to do with Padmé.

Sometimes, though, he felt things that troubled him more.

Something was making Anakin doubt his path, so that he hesitated in decisions. These hesitations, Obi-Wan knew, could potentially lead a Jedi down the wrong path – dangerously close to the dark side.

And that, Obi-Wan suspected, had something to do with Chancellor Palpatine.

Obi-Wan pushed through the Force to locate what made Anakin flare up in anger, but it was gone. He sank deeper into the Force only to find calm resignation from Anakin. As he focused harder that acceptance turned to happiness, increasing joy.

With a sigh Obi-Wan came out of his meditation.

One thing he knew for sure: something was bothering Anakin.

Perhaps he could go talk to Padmé, she was the only other person that Anakin confided in. Obi-Wan wanted to find out what nagged at Anakin as soon as possible. Thirteen years of looking out for him were not for nothing; it was difficult for him to stop worrying about the younger Jedi.

Making his way the short distance across Coruscant – the Queen's building was just visible from the highest point in the Temple – he grew more concerned. There had been no sign of Anakin at the Temple that morning; in fact he had rarely been seen at the Temple for the past few days. On the other hand, the Temple was a large place, swarming with Jedi.

Crossing his arms as he rode the turbolift up to Padmé's floor, he felt the other one go past, traveling down.

Anakin rode that turbolift.

For a second Obi-Wan thought about stopping both the lifts, getting out and asking Anakin what in the blazes he was doing at Padmé's this early in the day. Then he realized that Anakin had not gone over there this morning, but was returning to the Temple from the past night.

_What does that boy think he's doing? Has he gone completely mad!_ Obi-Wan thought in a flash of irritation. He took a breath, thinking, _Everything's fine, I know it is. He probably just went to tell her that he passed the trials and is now a Knight…_

Obi-Wan smiled to himself at this conclusion.

That made sense – it was a perfect reason for Anakin to go to Padmé. She would be happy for him. It was a perfectly innocent excuse. There was nothing to worry about. Obi-Wan nodded to himself and stepped out of the turbolift.

As soon as he thought it he admonished himself, _Jedi, especially Masters, do not worry. Stop it. _

"Padmé?" Obi-Wan called out, knocking on her door. He waited then called her name again.

Padmé said nothing in return, opening the door instead. She looked surprised to see him, yet nervous at the same time.

"Master Kenobi!" she said upon opening the door. She made no effort to let him in. "I wasn't expecting you!"

"Um…sorry about dropping in on you like this. I was actually thinking about going to get something to eat…I haven't had a chance to get something this morning."

"Sure…" Padmé glanced back into her apartment for a brief second. She stepped out into the hallway to stand next to Obi-Wan. "Well then, where should we go?"

"I know just the place."

The Jedi Master turned around and led Padmé out of the building. Ten minutes later they sat in his favorite diner, enjoying a modest breakfast.

"Padmé, I wanted to thank you for helping us with all the refugee work. It's really been wonderful to have you working with us," Obi-Wan said. "But my main reason for coming to you is about Anakin."

Padmé swallowed, and looked at Obi-Wan nervously. Through the Force he could tell she was debating over what to tell him.

"I feel there's something bothering him…and I don't like where it might take him. He hasn't talked to me about it, and you're the only other person he's close with. So I wondered if you might know what it is."

"Oh." She looked back at Obi-Wan, her face relaxing. "Well, I don't know, really. He came over the other night after the trials…he was saying he was really nervous about having to fight. That's all he told me." She swallowed again. "Why? What's so wrong with him?"

"I don't mean to alarm you. It's just that he's been doing things that…are questionable to the rest of the Jedi. I'm just worried about him."

Padmé's eyes widened as she took in what he said, obviously aware of what some of the said questionable actions might be. Before she could respond, Obi-Wan's comlink beeped.

"Master Kenobi speaking," he answered.

"Master? Where are you? The Council's needing you," Anakin's voice crackled.

Obi-Wan's brow crinkled in confusion. It was extremely rare that Anakin had to track him down for the Council. "Do you know what they want?"

"Something about Kashyyyk. Apparently, the attack has started. We're officially at war again."

"I'll be right there," he sighed heavily. Obi-Wan switched off the comlink and tucked it back inside his robes. He turned to face Padmé.

"I'm terribly sorry to cut this short…but please, if you think of anything that might help with Anakin, feel free to contact me. I only want to see what's best for him." Obi-Wan excused himself and stood up from the table.

"I think we all do," Padmé whispered. "I wish you the best of luck out there, Master Jedi. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you. Heaven knows we'll need it."

With that, Obi-Wan turned in a swirl of robes and left the diner. He made his way as swiftly as possible for the Temple. With war starting again, he knew he would be taking off to lead the Republic troops into battle – this time over Kashyyyk to save the Wookiees from an enemy whose motives and capabilities they little understood.

* * *

Yes, they would need all the power of the Force.

Just ahead, Anakin could make out the Republic shipyards on Coruscant. All the hustle and bustle surrounded three Republic assault cruisers – one of which he had to dock his starfighter on.

As he guided his fighter down, he tried not to think of the events of the morning. A large mix of feelings flowed through him, and they all combined to form one: anger.

Right now, Anakin did not feel like trying to calm his feelings. He knew all too well what Obi-Wan wanted at Padmé's – him. Obi-Wan was not the only one to sense another Jedi there that morning. Having trained with the Master for over ten years now, Anakin did not even have to think in order to locate Obi-Wan in the Force. Anakin also knew why Obi-Wan went to Padmé's: to find him and chastise him for being with her. It seemed that was the only thing Obi-Wan could do these days, despite the fact that he was no longer Anakin's master.

With the starfighter landed, Anakin unbuckled his restraints and turned the small craft off with the Force. He did so with some over exertion, receiving a warning beep from the astromech tucked up in the fighter.

Anakin thought of a snippy reply to the droid, but once glance out the cockpit stopped any desire to do so.

The place was absolutely crawling with Jedi. Anakin needed to get control of his emotions. Taking a deep breath, he leaned his head back against the headrest with a sharp jerk.

_There's a battle ahead of me. It's in just a few hours. I have to _focus

Anakin swallowed again. His stomach soured with a shrinking sensation.

He was not worried about his piloting abilities, for he knew those were above par. Part of him was not ready for the stress of fighting. All the loss of life – and for what? Closing his eyes, he forced himself to stop thinking such things and turned his attention to Padmé.

Another wonderful night spent with her, cut short by the appearance of Obi-Wan. Anakin felt him coming, allowing him the few precious seconds to at least get himself out of the apartment.

That way Obi-Wan could prove nothing, merely that Anakin was in the same building.

Wasting no more time, he opened the cockpit and hopped out of the starfighter. Taking a look at itmade him smile. Perhaps things would be fine; after all, he was flying in his own beloved fighter. After all the adjustments he made he had no doubt about its abilities.

Yes, things would be alright.

If anything, it would be good to fly again.

Meandering through the maze of the massive starship, Anakin fought to keep his mind empty and his emotions calm.

* * *

Down on the surface of Kashyyyk, Tenner Quantos ran through the Wookiee village with Pela Ho'San behind her. An ARC-170 fighter darted above the trees, sending sputtering blasts of laser bolts into the jungle. Suddenly, a loose plank in the walkway snagged Pela's foot. She cried out and fell to the ground. A hearty thud sounded with her impact.

At that second, one of the ARC fighters noticed them, especially the fact that they were not Wookiees.

Instantly, Tenner whipped out her lightsaber. The aquamarine blade flashed and hummed through the air. Before she could think, she deflected two laser blasts back at the fighter and away from Pela.

The pilot could not maneuver out of the way of his own lasers, and the ship exploded.

Tenner shivered as she felt the life of the pilot extinguish. Her shiver was more how the Force felt right with the clone no longer in existence, which disturbed her greatly. Existence of life was supposed to be right in the Force, not the loss of it.

Turning back to Pela, she helped her friend up from the walkway. Neither of them said a thing. Pela brushed her hands on her tunic a couple times; both of them lost their cloaks quite a ways back. They ran on, hoping that at the clan leader's quarters they would find the means to try and communicate with the Jedi Temple.

The Republic needed to get here, and _fast_.

* * *

The Star Destroyer, or assault cruiser as the Republic preferred to call it, groaned heavily, and suddenly dropped out of hyperspace. Shudders rocked the deck as the heavy craft converted to realspace.

Everyone around Anakin stopped what they were doing, confusion on all their faces. Some of them looked to Anakin for support – him being one of the mystical Jedi. Anakin merely shrugged his shoulders; he had no better idea of what happened to the ship than they did. Reaching out to the Force, he tried to gain some understanding.

But the thing that Anakin felt most was the _wrongness_.

Clones dampened the Force. And they were absolutely everywhere; scattered throughout the system in such great numbers, the clones created what could only be described as a literal _void_ in the Force. In the back of his mind, Anakin had the ghastly feeling that these clones would not be the last menace to be wrong in the Force that would come to this galaxy.

Around him men buzzed about, anxious to go out and fight. Anakin decided to leave the hangar bay. Now was a good time to talk to the captain, it was important to find out what exactly was going on.

After a short exchange with the captain, Anakin was back beside his fighter. The news from the command deck was grim – the Separatists managed to create a ship that could mimic a gravity well and pull a ship out of hyperspace. For all practical senses and purposes, they were now stuck above Kashyyyk.

A steady siren called out through the hangar bay.

Time to load up the fighters.

Amid the mass of Jedi starfighters, new starfighters, running on twin ion engines, rested. Their small circular cockpits were balanced on both sides by angular wings extending far from the main body of the fighter. The trainees, fresh from the center on Carida, got into them to fight side by side with the Jedi.

Anakin paid them no mind. The only thought he had regarding them was that they were meant to be, something natural in the Force. That was good enough for him.

Pulling his Jedi cloak around him, he hopped back into the starfighter. He adjusted the comlink headset, and started up the fighter. Taking a deep breath, he reached out to the Force to gain some strength.

The hangar bays opened. One by one, wings of fighters began to take off. Anakin gently brough his fighter off the deck and flew out of the ship.


	14. Chapter 14

14

Standing on the bridge of the Republic assault cruisers, Obi-Wan Kenobi braced himself as gravity ground the ship to a halt. He reached out to the Force to steady himself and glanced to his right. There, Jedi Master Mace Windu stood straight and stoic. His hands rested on his hips as he waited for a report on the enemy.

"_Sir_," the commander of the ship said to the Jedi, a tone of distaste for the Jedi in his words, "we have been pulled out of hyperspace. It seems the Separatists have some sort ship that mimic gravity wells. Do we launch the fighters now, or wait?"

Mace and Obi-Wan shared a glance.

"Where are we?" Mace said.

"It seems that we are behind the moon," Commander Tarkin replied huskily. "The _Triumph_ is here with us, while the _Republic Champion_ has come out ahead of us and is already deploying its fighters. Again, should I launch the fighters?"

"Are the starfighters ready to go?" Mace asked.

"Yes, they are ready to launch at your command."

Mace thought about whether or not to have the fighters deployed. Their position behind the moon kept them safe for the meantime and also hid their numbers. There still was the chance, however, that the Separtists did not know how much of the Republic fleet just dropped in on them.

"Launch them. Make sure they come out on both sides of the moon – that will make it seem there are more of us than there really are."

Next to him, Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. The commander gave a stiff nod of acknowledgement, and turned to the rest of his crew. Within a minute, the starfighters appeared from both Republic ships.

"I do not like this Captain Tarkin," Obi-Wan muttered to Mace. "He clearly doesn't want us here."

"Well, we are in his territory. We shouldn't be here." Mace turned back to face the front of the bridge.

Mace was right, but there was nothing Obi-Wan, nor the rest of the Jedi, could do about it. They had to make the best of the situation they were in.

Tarkin turned back to the Jedi with a click of his heel, honed by years of military training. Rising in the ranks on his native Eriadu, Tarkin was a prime candidate to lead the Republic alongside the Jedi.

"Masters Jedi, we have obtained information that the Separatists have one communications frigate from the Banking Clan, and three Commerce Guild support ships," he announced.

Mace and Obi-Wan stared at him.

"How is that possible? Our fighters haven't reached them yet, and we can't get a reading through the moon!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as he stepped over to Tarkin.

"I have received this information from Coruscant. Apparently Chancellor Palpatine has acquired this information for us," Tarkin said, as if daring the Jedi to question his intelligence – both kinds of them.

_Of course Palpatine would have that kind of information. Nice of him to not tell us before we got here,_ Obi-Wan thought to himself. His dislike of the Chancellor grew just a little more. Through the Force, he could feel Mace tense up at this information.

"Very well. We'll get a reading on where these ships are before we take any more action," Mace replied.

Tarkin gave him another nod.

"Something else is going on here," Obi-Wan said to Mace. "I can feel it."

"I can too. It doesn't make sense – the Separatists have three times the ships as this in their fleet."

A chill went down Obi-Wan's spine as he remembered Bail Organa saying that the Republic had lost nearly the entire Separatist fleet.

"They've always employed more force than this when they attack," Mace continued. "They've got something else up their sleeves, but we will proceed – with utmost caution."

Obi-Wan nodded, saying nothing in return. Both of the Jedi were thankful of one thing: they had not shown their full hand too early in the sabacc game.

* * *

General San Hill paced the bridge of the _Driving Force_. His long face twisted up in concern over the numbers of starfighters coming from behind Kashyyyk's moon. It seemed there was no end to the fighters coming from the moon; they poured from both sides of the moon in a seemingly endless stream. There was also the problem of the Star Destroyer out in the open.

That would be dealt with quickly.

Hill was concerned, and yet his beautiful flagship was not even in the thick of the battle. Instead, it orbited another system – waiting for the right moment. The Republic could detect his ship; there was no communications while a ship was cloaked so he had to remain visible in order to conduct the battle.

"Sir, what should we do?" one of the officers on deck asked him. Hill thought for a second before answering.

"Continue as we are. Keep that support ship in position and firing on that open Star Destroyer. Concentrate all the forward firepower of the _Resurgence _on the surface of the planet. For now we will worry about breaking the back of the Wookiees."

Hill delivered his order and turned to sit back in his seat at the top of the bridge. No, he would not worry about the appearance of the Republic until they came out from behind the moon.

Until then, worrying was useless. It caused unnecessary stress.

"Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

The officer turned back to his station, dispatching the order to the clone soldier seated next to him. Without question, the clone dispatched the order.

As Hill watched, safe in the confines of the heavily armored Banking Clan frigate, the support ship turned and large green lasers blasts emitted from its eleven formidable heavy turbolasers. A slight smile crept across his face as he thought about the Trandoshan fighters, along with some clones, strafing the surface of the green planet.

Sidious would be pleased. Very pleased by the way things were going.

"Captain," Hill called out from his seat. "Have a squad of ARC fighters swing around to the other side of the planet."

"Yes sir."

This way, the Republic fighters would be stretched even more thinly, having to engage the Separatists over a larger amount of space. Hill knew that between his frigate and the two support ships, which specialized in carrying starfighters, the Republic would not be able to match them ship for ship. Content with things for the moment, Hill leaned back in his seat.

Looking back on it, Hill realized that he should have trusted Sidious to make things come out the way he promised they would. The battle was still young, in its infancy stages, but all reports from the clone fighters supported a Separatist victory. While Hill had a connection to the Force akin to one of the beautiful gonsha trees native to his homeworld planted upside down, he knew enough to be able to have a good feeling about the outcome.

After all, the best part was still to come.

* * *

The R4 unit encased in Anakin's starfighter let out a piercing shriek as Anakin forced the small craft into a tight spin. He had two ARC-170 fighters on his tail, and his mind was tumbling on how to get them off him. Green laser blasts surrounded him; he constantly had to jerk the fighter from side to side to avoid getting hit. The blasts were coming so fast that it was almost impossible for him to feel them through the Force. The fact that the persons firing at him were clones did nothing to help the situation.

Another scream from R4, letting him know that his fighter had taken a hit, made Anakin curse.

"R4, boost all aft shields – divert power from forward shields if you have to. I need all the power back there I can get while I figure out how to get us out of this mess."

R4 blipped in reply.

On his console, Anakin flipped a couple switches to help R4 in his task. As he did so, he tried to push deeper into the Force, to gain some understanding of what the clones would do next.

"Missiles," he muttered to himself in epiphany. "R4–"

He did not have time to answer, as R4 gave him another harsh stream of beeps.

"I know, I know. Proton torpedoes. What the blazes do they think they're…" Anakin trailed off as he saw his opportunity.

The torpedoes were gaining on him, but just ahead he could see two more ARCs chasing after another Jedi.

"R4, punch the engines as much as you can."

Using the Force, Anakin urged the craft forward as much as he could, making sure to stay straight behind the ARC fighters in front of him. He gained on them in mere seconds. The proton torpedoes stayed close on his tail. At just the last moment he flipped the fighter down towards Kashyyyk. The enemy pilots had no time to react as the proton torpedoes locked onto their ships. The two ARCs exploded, and in response Anakin got a feeling of gratitude through the Force from the Jedi pilot he just saved.

Anakin watched as the pilot began to chase after more clone fighters. Pushing another button on his console, he raised the other Jedi pilot.

"Jedi pilot, this is Blue Three. What do you say we team up and take out some of these fighters together?" he asked. He tried to get a feel for who it was through the Force, but it was a stranger to him.

"Agreed, Blue Three. This is Red Five. Pleased to fly with you, young Skywalker."

In his cockpit Anakin blushed. Apparently he was more famous at the Temple than he realized. It seemed like every single Jedi knew his name, his face.

And now his voice.

Maybe it was just that the other Jedi could sense something different about him in the Force. However, his thoughts were interrupted as he felt another clone sneaking up on him.

Sensing the clones, Anakin figured out, actually got easy once he figured out how to do it. Unlike feeling the presence of the Force radiating from other life, all he had to do was focus on the fact that the Force was backwards. The clones created a black hole of sorts – they were still in the Force, but they sucked all the energy around them in and made a void.

Finding this void led a Jedi to finding a clone.

Exploiting it – well, that rid the galaxy of one more drone.

"Blue Three, you've got another one on your tail." The other Jedi reminded him at the same time that R4 let out another screech.

"Yeah, yeah, R4. I know. I know." Anakin rolled his eyes and took a sharp turn. The ARC followed him, so Anakin went into a dive.

_That other guy should get behind him and blast him off my tail!_

As soon as Anakin thought it, the other Jedi looped around and came up behind the clone. A few short laser blasts took care of the enemy, his fighter exploding in a fireball. The void in the Force vanished.

"Thank you, Red Five. May I inquire as to whom I'm flying with?" Anakin asked while keeping an eye for more fighters on his tail.

"Master Kral Stelsus – R4, more power to forward shields!" Master Stelsus ordered his droid. Just ahead, three ARC fighters came straight for them.

"R4," Anakin said, "same thing. Master Stelsus, you take the one on the right, I have the other two."

Stelsus said nothing in return, and through the Force, Anakin felt his agreement. He could also feel the other Jedi wondering how he was going to take out two fast-approaching fighters. They started to fire at the Jedi. Anakin tried to form a picture of his plan in his mind, projecting it at the Master.

Dropping the connection to Stelsus, Anakin focused on the clones. Reflexes moving fast, he fired at the center fighter. The poor clone had no time to react. Anakin fired all his lasers cannons at once, turning his craft so that a steady stream of laser fire blasted across both enemy fighters. The center one exploded, and the one on the left was disabled.

Satisfied, Anakin flew on.

Together, he and Master Stelsus navigated the battlefield. As they worked together, a strong bond began to merge between them through the Force. Even though they had never met in person, in battle they could almost tell what the other was thinking without having to ask. Immediate understanding of each other's responses helped them navigate the scene. Together they made a formidable force, hunting down enemy fighters with deadly precision.

As the link with Master Stelsus grew, Anakin found that he could also reach out to the other Jedi. In almost no time at all, all of the Jedi flying over Kashyyyk were connected – feeling each other's thoughts and movements.

Reaching out to Obi-Wan, he could feel the presence of his master even at this great distance, he had a radical idea. Drawing on the strength of himself and the Jedi around him, Anakin invited Obi-Wan to join a greater view of the battle…

* * *

"Master Windu, what are your orders?" Captain Tarkin called up to the Jedi.

Mace looked to Obi-Wan.

"A Banking Clan frigate. We have no hope of taking that out now. We should move against one of the Commerce support ships," Obi-Wan advised.

Mace nodded in agreement. He turned to Tarkin. "Captain Tarkin, move us out from the moon. From there we'll decide what action to take."

Tarkin's face wrinkled in disagreement. To him, the Jedi were too slow in taking action. He saw the need for a plan _now_, before they came around the moon.

Waiting to begin firing on an enemy ship just endangered your own. It gave the enemy a chance to fire at you.

Sometimes coming out with guns blazing was a good thing – and the Jedi did not understand this. They always had to wait before making an attack. Did they not understand that this was war?

Despite his grievances, he instructed his crew to follow the Jedi's plan. After all, he was under orders from Palpatine to obey the Jedi.

In a few minutes, the battlefield came into view. Far in the distance, Obi-Wan could make out the form of the Banking frigate. Right in front of them, a Commerce support ship was blasting at the surface of Kashyyyk. Between it and the planet, starfighters from both sides were locked in battle. Two more support ships rested a distance to their right. A few fighters flew around it, as if daring the Republic forces to come over and play.

As the scene of the battle hit Obi-Wan, he reached out to the Force.

Everything echoed with chaos.

A backwards feeling hit him as he reached out to all the starfighters. Here and there he could sense a Jedi pilot, or one of the new Republic soldiers. The vacuum in the Force from the clones made them harder to detect. Pushing harder than he usually did, he searched for Anakin.

The younger Knight was in the thick of the battle. Beside him flew Master Stelsus. Obi-Wan smiled to himself. Master Stelsus was an excellent pilot, and paired with Anakin the two would become deadly.

"Captain Tarkin, we have to disable that support ship," Mace commanded. "We should not destroy it completely – as many as possible should be left alive."

"Yes sir," Tarkin replied with disdain. He turned to his crew. "Fire all forward turbolasers at the enemy support ship."

"Excuse me, Captain Tarkin. We should fire the ion cannon – break their communication abilities," Mace cut in.

"_Excuse me_, Master Jedi. I believe you should leave the technical details to me. This is my ship. I know how she will best take out the enemy. I suggest you keep to general tactics."

Mace bristled, drawing on the Force to keep his irritation under control. For a second he thought about reprimanding the insolent commander, perhaps with a little persuasion from the Force, but he maintained his composure. Not everyone took to obeying a Jedi.

"Perhaps he is right. This is his ship," Obi-Wan said softly, trying to keep the peace. Right now was not a good time for two Republic commanders to get into a fight.

"Perhaps," Mace said through gritted teeth. It was the only response Obi-Wan got.

"Fire ion cannon!" Tarkin ordered as if it were his own idea.

Instantly, the blue ball of energy erupted into space, heading straight for the support ship. The shields on the ship could not block the blast, hitting the ship and making blue electricity dance all over the hull. Surprise from the Separatists hit both Jedi Masters through the Force.

"Continue to fire turbolasers – aim for their bridge! Strengthen all forward shields, and begin to launch missiles," Tarkin continued to order.

The Jedi watched as red laser fire went from the Republic ship, hammering the Separatists. The strengthened shields were merely a precaution, for the time being the Commerce ship could not fire back.

"Master Windu, do we have more fighters to release?" Tarkin asked, turning back to the Jedi.

Mace merely shook his head no.

The Captain sighed and looked back to the battle. More fighters could have taken out the firepower of the enemy before the ship regained its abilities.

Having an idea, Obi-Wan sank into the Force. He reached out to some of the closest Jedi pilots. Through the Force, he projected an image of some Republic fighters firing at the lame ship's laser cannons. Instantly some of pilots he found turned and flew to the support ship. Sure enough, they began to strafe the surface of the ship, taking careful aim to destroy weapons.

As the fighters swarmed the ship, one of the missiles Tarkin ordered fired hit the bridge. Right after it, another one hit, and the bridge exploded. Tarkin smiled and took a deep breath.

So far this was working.

While the Republic was still outnumbered, there was hope.

"Keep firing on that ship – make sure it cannot move," he called out. Personally, he would have seen it turned into a pile of spacejunk, but for now he had to obey the Jedi.

And they only wanted it disabled.

So disabled it would be.

Obi-Wan and Mace stood on the deck, their faces expressionless. They were focusing hard on what the rest of the Jedi were doing out in the battle. Obi-Wan was trying to focus on Anakin, to keep track of his fast movements, in the back of his mind. As he followed him, he felt the bond between his former Padawan and Master Stelsus grow. He even felt both Anakin and Master Stelsus reaching out to other Jedi immediately around them, linking together through the Force.

Suddenly, Anakin came to Obi-Wan with the link. Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan locked on to it.

Something unlike anything he ever knew hit him through the Force. If he focused in just the right manner, he could almost see what each Jedi pilot was doing in turn.

In the archives, Obi-Wan had read about how Jedi could link up through the Force in battle, becoming almost a single mind. It made the Jedi almost unbeatable, but was extremely exhausting to maintain. As there had been no major wars for a thousand years, the idea of a Jedi battle link faded into legend.

Now with Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, in battle, it was becoming a reality.

Obi-Wan focused on the link, and after a second he could feel Mace attached to it too.

_Amazing, unlike anything Master Yoda can do, _Mace thought to him.

The idea didn't come to Obi-Wan so much as words, but as a feeling. No words were needed for Obi-Wan to understand what Mace meant. He agreed with the other Master.

Searching through the maze of Jedi, Obi-Wan found Anakin again. He sent his former Padawan a thought of encouragement and congratulations.

Anakin did not reply, he was too busy focusing on another Jedi trying to take out an enemy fighter. Obi-Wan backed off so Anakin could focus. Hopefully the support ship would be disabled soon.

* * *

General Hill paced the deck as desperate pleas came in from the support ship firing on Kashyyyk. The ship was taking a heavy beating from the Republic assault ships.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

The Commerce Guild support ships were exceptionally long, and with it facing straight towards the planet both Republic ships were able to hide behind it. There was no way that Hill could order his ship to fire at the Republic. He would destroy his own manpower first, ensuring a Republic victory. Despite the calls from the ship, he could only watch it get destroyed.

Suddenly the cries for help stopped.

"What happened to them?" Hill demanded as he whirled around to face his crew.

"They got hit with an ion cannon, sir," an officer replied, his voice sounded hoarse.

Hill swore mentally.

Audibly he let out a sigh, grinding his teeth together at the same time. The officer simply watched him, waiting for a reply.

Pausing for a second, Hill clenched his hands together behind his back.

"Don't give up hope yet. We still have plenty of surprises for the Jedi. Hold your fire, but if they come into view, begin to fire immediately at will."

"Yes sir." The officer nodded and saluted him.

Feeling a little better, Hill went back to his seat. As he watched, the Republic fired missiles at the bridge of the support ship. The bridge blew up in a fiery mass.

Hill knew then that the ship was dead – there was no way it could be useful anymore.

"Sir, something is happening with the Jedi!"

"What?" Hill snapped to attention.

"They're…I can't explain it. It's like they can all read each other's minds or something. They're all coordinated together."

Hill stood up and walked down next to his officer. "What's going on?"

"Watch…they follow each other closely…it's like they know what's happening to each other."

Sure enough, Hill saw the red blips, the Republic enemies, gang up with uncanny coordination to fire on the clone fighters. The Jedi were making shredded nerfmeat out of their pilots.

For a second, panic shot through him but he forced it down. Now was the time to think, not to panic. Hill took a deep breath, recalling that somewhere he had heard an old Jedi legend about how Jedi could link together in battle.

"Commander, order all starfighters released from the second and third support ships. It is time that the Jedi meet our first surprise," he ordered.

The Jedi might be able to fight well, but the sheer numbers of the Separatists would overwhelm them.

"Send all the fighters towards their assault ships. That way their fighters have to pull back, and we can focus on Kashyyyk again. They can't get away from us that easily."


	15. Chapter 15

To Heppan: Thank you for reading, I hope you continue to like it! To the rest of my readers: Thank you for following this story so far and thank you for all your comments. It's getting down to the last few chapters - about three more to go!

15

Tension racked Obi-Wan as he watched the battle before him. So far the Republic forces were holding their own, but he could feel something brewing in the Force. The Separatists were planning something. He just wished he could figure out what it was.

The support ship rested before them, a floating and useless hunk. Obi-Wan could feel the dismay of those still on the ship. A few managed to make it to escape pods and were drifting down towards the planet. However, as the ship's crew realized that the Jedi did not intend to destroy them completely, the escape pods jettisoning from it slowly died down to a trickle.

At the same time, details of the dogfights between the enemy and Republic starfighters ran though his mind. In brief flashes he could see Jedi pilots teaming up with the new trainees to blast away a clone fighter.

Every once in a while, one of the Jedi would be blown up in hot flash.

Obi-Wan tried to ignore these blasts from the Force. He was afraid that if he focused too hard on them he would realize that someone he knew just died. Figuring out their losses would come at a later time.

Most amazing though, was how Anakin Skywalker held all the Jedi together in a network. Obi-Wan could feel the strain of keeping the connection alive grinding on Anakin. Once more he pushed encouragement and strength to his old Padawan. This time, the briefest sense of gratitude came back to Obi-Wan from Anakin. Obi-Wan smiled to himself.

Suddenly, a surge of surprise came to him. One of the Jedi closest to the other support ship was suddenly swarmed with clone fighters. The poor pilot tried to dart away from them, but there were too many – they fired on his ship – he tried to dodge – the Jedi starfighter blew up –

"More enemy fighters coming in!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. Tarkin and Mace turned him. "Quick – they're coming from that second ship!"

Tarkin looked down at his display. Sure enough, another cloud of red dots started to come from the larger ship. At the same time, Mace sank into the Force and made his way through the network.

"They're coming for us," Mace replied calmly.

Tarkin looked at both the Jedi, waiting for an order. He had an idea of what to do, but he had to wait for the Jedi.

No order came though.

Obi-Wan sent Mace an idea through the Force. Together, both Masters reached out to the Force, calling on all the nearest Jedi pilots. Sure enough, those pilots began turn from the main battle back to the assault cruisers. Within seconds, they engaged the clone fighters.

"Right then," Tarkin muttered to himself.

Irritated he turned back to his crew. He didn't know how the Jedi managed to call their fighters back to the ship for its defense. What he did know was that they made him feel nervous, like they knew something he didn't. Tarkin was the kind of man that liked to be in control of his crew and his surroundings.

The Jedi took that control away from him.

"Captain Tarkin, we should move out and start to fire on that other support ship," Mace called out.

Finally the Jedi decided to let him in on the plans again.

"Agreed, Master Jedi."

Tarkin relayed the order to his crew, and the assault cruiser started to slowly turn towards the support ship. As it did so, more enemy fighters came towards them. He hoped the Jedi could finish this mess.

* * *

Letting out a whoop of excitement, Anakin took his starfighter into a tight loop. The rush of battle, of flying again, flowed through his veins. Through the Force he could feel all the rest of the Jedi. Some of them were excited, as he was, and so the feeling was contagious through the network.

R4 let out a reprimanding whine and Anakin calmed himself down, muttering. "Fine, fine. It's always something…"

Within minutes after creating the connection to the other Jedi, Anakin lost track of his actions. Everything felt synchronized through the Force. He no longer had to think about what evasive maneuvers to take. He knew from when and where the enemy pilots were coming.

Letting himself sink deeper into the Force, he felt something new. Just beyond the reach of the Jedi, he could feel some of the minds of the Republic trainees. Taking a deep breath, an idea came to him.

If everyone on the battlefield was coordinated…they might be able to win despite the fact that they were grossly outnumbered.

Anakin knew he would need more power to do what he had in mind. He could only draw so much from the other Jedi; he was already taking as much as he could from them to keep the link alive. Knowing what he had to do, and that it was risky, he let his mind wander away from the focus of the battle.

_Padmé_.

Thoughts and images of her flooded his mind and his heart. Warmth spread through him and instantly he felt himself calmed by her memory. The stress of maintaining the Force link melted away as he recalled the last night he spent with her. The words she spoke to him, promising her affections, opened up more of the Force to him.

The Force surged through him in a way like never before. In a flash, he saw not with his eyes, but with the Force.

Every living thing in the galaxy shone as its own pinpoint of light – and those sensitive to the Force called to him like beacons. There was absolutely nothing else to the galaxy.

There was only the Force.

In that single instant, Anakin Skywalker vanished – becoming a being only of the Force. A million paths snaked before him, each leading in a million different directions, and he understood everything.

There was no right or wrong, dark or light. Saying that there was a dark side of the Force led one to believe that the Force itself was evil; the same being true for the opposite.

Balance of the Force was not about light or dark. It was not about Jedi or Sith – it was about the choices one made in using the Force. Only an individual could bring balance to the Force for himself, allowing outcome of actions to justify its use.

Anakin knew at that point what he had to do.

Harnessing what he could of the raw Force, he made himself gain control of it. Keeping Padmé in his mind's eye, he siphoned the strength of the Force out to the link with the rest of the Jedi. He used it to find the nearest Carida trainees. In a burst of power, he pushed the link on them. Now he could see what they saw, feel what they felt, and…

Influence their actions.

In his mind, Anakin ranked his efforts. On the first, most basic level, he continued to think of Padmé. Love was his source of power, keeping him attuned to Force. From there, he bolstered the Force and strengthened the Jedi connection. Drawing on the rest of the Jedi, he then made contact with the Caridian pilots.

Just then, more enemy fighters spewed from the hangar bays of the strange ship off in the distance. One Jedi in the area was annihilated in seconds.

A stinging jolt went through Anakin. Before his eyes, he saw bright fire. Intense heat consumed every part of his body.

Then nothing.

A strangled wail of pain and anguish escaped his mouth. He did not want to die; he could not die now –

Suddenly he realized that it was the other pilot he felt.

As suddenly as the surge hit him, Anakin found himself back in his own body, his senses his own. Panting heavily, trying to regain his breath, he struggled to regain control over himself. He had to maintain the connection. Keeping the Jedi and the other fighters together was the only way they could win this battle.

He reached out and found some Caridian trainees close to where the Jedi had been killed. He found their minds, and the weakness in them. There he urged them to go after the clones, the ones who just killed the unknown Jedi. Without a moment's hesitation the trainees tailed the clones. In seconds the clones were no more.

Justified, Anakin relaxed in his seat and regained his focus. However his second of peace was interrupted by R4.

"Now what?" he snapped.

R4 warbled in response, sounding apologetic. Halfway through the droid's beeping Anakin knew what it was.

Another enemy pilot was on his tail.

Anakin sent out a call to see if there was a Jedi that could help take care of the clone, but no one responded. Master Stelsus was occupied with his own pair of clones, and almost every other Jedi was attempting to defend the Republic assault cruiser or fend off clones from their own trails.

Gritting his teeth, Anakin pulled his starfighter up in a tight loop. In a second he was behind the enemy fighter. Without thinking, just feeling, he put his finger on the trigger and fired.

The clone erupted in a ball of flame. Just as soon as that one was gone, though, another one found his trail.

Anakin let the Force surge through him. While he established the Jedi link he flew through the battle merely to avoid being destroyed. Master Stelsus, knowing what Anakin was trying to do, kept enemies from blowing his fighter apart. Now though, with the link established, Anakin had to fight again.

Focusing on Padmé, the Jedi, the trainees, and the battle was almost too much for him. He could feel his mind nearing exhaustion in a way like never before. But he forced himself to keep going, the Republic depended on this right now. A small feeling of encouragement and support from Obi-Wan made Anakin smile.

With every part of him centered on the Force, Anakin did not even hear R4 when the droid screamed at him that the clone was shooting proton torpedoes at him.

"Not again…" Anakin muttered. His eyes glazed over, and he sank within himself, so that he saw the battle not as it appeared from his cockpit, but as a whole.

Keeping all three layers of the Force going, he took a small part of power from Padmé and located the two torpedoes bent on blowing him to bits. Through the Force he grabbed hold of them and stopped them in their tracks. With this new layer of concentration, he felt himself strain more, so with as strong a burst he could muster he shot the torpedoes back at the clones.

His eyes shot open and he gasped for breath as he felt the wrongness in the Force dissipate.

Once more he was clear.

Turning towards the Republic assault cruiser, now heading for the other support ship, he locked onto another clone. A few shots from his lasers and the pilot was no more.

Master Stelsus followed Anakin, and together they began to target other clone fighters. Anakin chased after them while the other Jedi Master kept them from firing on Anakin. In the distance, Anakin spotted a cluster of clones. There was no way he and Master Stelsus could take them all together, and the clones were now coming for them – sensing the easy kill.

In a millisecond, navigating the Jedi link became easier for Anakin each moment while maintaining it was not, Anakin found nearby trainees. With a little more strength than he intended, he jerked them away from their current entanglements and urged them to attack the cluster of clones. Five of the trainees joined him and Master Stelsus.

However, the death of another Jedi nearly broke his concentration. By sustaining such a close link with the rest of the Jedi fighting, Anakin now felt their deaths as if it was his own. Sometimes some of them startled him more than others, depending on where his focus was at the moment.

Blind for a moment, Anakin struggled to regain control of himself. He forced his pounding heart to calm down and beat steadily. Dropping some of his personal connection to the other Jedi, he focused on the fresh Republic fighters.

They spread out in a V-formation, ready to take the enemy clones head on. At one time, they began to fire their lasers, making the clones aware of their presence.

Behind them, Anakin and Master Stelsus flew.

The clones turned, racing towards the Republic fighters. Suddenly, Anakin pulled up, intending to go over both the Republic pilots and the clones. Sure enough, he came in behind them and began firing. Within seconds, he took out a couple of the clones. Anakin reached out to find Master Stelsus, and he wasn't there behind him. Anakin panicked then realized that the Master stayed behind the Republic fighters.

_What in the blazes didn't he follow me for? Those fighters are going to get eaten alive by these clones, we're outnumbered – blast not another – _

Anakin stiffened in his seat as another Jedi dropped out of the link. Bursts of death in the Force were coming so frequently it seemed it was all Anakin could feel in the Force. He struggled to keep the connection, his thoughts on Padmé, and the control over the Republic trainees going.

Deep in his heart, a little well of anger started to build up. Anakin concentrated so hard on everything he was trying to maintain through the Force that he did not realize that this tiny flash of anger began to boost his strength. It helped keep him focused. His mind and body strained beyond anything he ever put them through before, he used any extra source of power he could get.

Ahead of him, the clone fighters began to make shredded nerfmeat with his commandeered Republic fighters.

Irritated with Master Stelsus for not following him, Anakin began to fire aimlessly into the mass of clones. Apparently they decided that the one Jedi was not as much of a threat as the other fighters before them, for they did not turn and fire on him. Trying to counter the clones, Anakin strengthened his hold on the Republic fighters and made them fire all their weapons. Laser fire filled the area and some of the friendly fire came straight for Anakin.

His jaw set, he pulled up to avoid getting hit by his fellow fighters. However, the move forced him to fly over both groups, pulling him away from Master Stelsus.

_Maybe this time he'll follow me,_ Anakin thought bitterly to himself. He spun his craft around, suddenly getting a flash of fear from Stelsus.

Anakin continued to fly high over the group, and saw that now there was only one more Republic fighter and the Jedi Master against the still-large group of clones. He looped around to come in behind them again, hoping to catch a few of them off guard.

The sense of panic from Stelsus increased. Anakin fired all his lasers into the crowd of clones. Stelsus cried out through the Force for Anakin to come help him.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. I'm doing the best I can," Anakin said in frustration.

At that second, Anakin screamed; fear tearing through his mind as pain ripped him apart. His very cells were bursting apart, they were on fire.

Just when he thought he could stand no more –

The pain threatened to split his head apart. Another wail left his throat. Anakin looked out of his cockpit to see a fireball where Master Stelsus should have been. This could not be happening.

_He could no longer sense the Force. _

All around him, Jedi were being slaughtered. Jedi were better than this – they should be no match for clones. And yet they were losing.

He tried to reach out to Obi-Wan for some comfort, but all his strength was gone. Creating the Jedi link had been too much for him and now he was alone, drifting in a sea of mayhem. Completely void of any sense of the Force, unable to calm himself with it, the anger in Anakin's heart rose.

The Force surged back to him – a clear, cold promise of power. One of the many futures he saw during his called to him.

This was how the Force was to be used.

Without a word to R4 he turned his starfighter around, aiming for the clones that attacked Master Stelsus. They would pay for their actions. All of them would pay for their crimes against the Republic.

* * *

Up in the sky above Kashyyyk, Tenner Quantos and Pela Ho'San could make out flashes from space. Here and there starfighters exploded close enough to the planet that they could see the resulting fireballs. Under any other circumstances they might have found the fire bursts mesmerizing.

Tenner shook her head.

She had to focus.

Enemy fighters, flown by the wretched clones, strafed the surface. Every so often one of the pilots would get close enough and almost hit her and Pela. Usually a lightsaber deflected the bolt – sometimes hitting the fighter it came from. Sometimes, instead of the clones, they would be attacked by a Trandoshan, neighbors and enemies to the Wookiees.

They were still making their way through the treetops, looking for something that might serve them as transport off the planet. Connected to the network of Jedi that Anakin Skywalker created, they knew Masters Kenobi and Windu were aware they were still on the planet. All they needed were instructions on where to go once they reached a transport.

Laser blasts from a clone fighter made the two Jedi dive for cover. They darted inside one of the Wookiee huts, covering their heads with their arms as they hit the floor. Outside, they heard three fighters go screaming past. Pela thought about getting out her lightsaber but realized it would do no good from inside the hut. In a matter of seconds the clones were gone.

For the moment.

As she stood up, Tenner shook her head to clear away dust. Her lekku twitched in mild agitation. She reached out through the Force, trying to ignore the chaos going through her mind from the space battle, and seached for a Wookiee pilot. If she were to find one, then that would lead her to a ship. Tenner knew that the only chance she and Pela had was to get off planet: there was nothing they could do down here to save Kashyyyk. The fate of the planet rested in the result of the space battle.

Sensing what her best friend was doing, Pela joined the search. A few trees over, she found a Wookiee that might be able to help them. She was just about to send Tenner the idea of the location when something suddenly dropped out of her.

No.

Dropped out of the Force.

Pela and Tenner eyed each other instantly. Both of them felt it – the Jedi link was gone.

"Over there," Pela said, her voice ragged. She pointed in the direction she meant.

Tenner nodded, and without a word headed in the direction of Pela's finger.

Within a few minutes, they reached the hut where the Wookiee pilot resided, but not after having dodged a few more blasts from clone fighters. As they struggled understand the growls and grunts of the Wookiee they heard the top of a tree snap and fall down through the forest. Eventually they managed to hammer out an agreement to use the Wookiee's ship. Pela felt guilty for having to leave, it seemed to her as if she were abandoning the Wookiees. Yet she understood more the need for her and Tenner to get off the planet.

* * *

"Cut all unnecessary systems! Boost all available power to shields!" Captain Tarkin screamed in panic at his crew. The swarms of fighters coming towards his ship scared him.

There seemed to be no end to them.

Behind him, Obi-Wan felt like admonishing the commander to calm down, but knew the words would have no effect. Tarkin was one of those people on which Jedi wisdom just did not work.

"Fire at will! Fire at will! Do I have to make myself any more clear?" Tarkin continued to yell. Finally, his demands were met as the assault cruiser's smaller laser cannons came to life. "Keep firing the turbolasers at that support ship. We have to take it out, or we'll be spacejunk!"

"But sir–" one of his crew members began to protest.

"DO NOT DISOBEY MY ORDERS!" The tendons in Tarkin's neck stood out, and a vein popped out on his forehead.

The man said nothing more in response.

"Sir, we're starting to loose weapons control. They've taken out two of our laser cannons," another man reported.

Tarkin took a deep breath before replying.

"Do you Jedi have an idea how to get us out of this mess?" he snapped to Mace and Obi-Wan.

The two Jedi decided to overlook the small breach of etiquette, and Mace spoke calmly, "The battle is not over yet. Keep on firing on the support ship as you said. Our fighters will come to defend us at any second….there they are."

Just as Mace promised, a couple squads of the remaining Jedi and Republic fighters began to engage the clones in the new arena. The Jedi pilots flew far from the ship in attempt to draw the enemy away so that the _Nova_ could continue to fire at the Separatists.

Obi-Wan sank back into the Force, feeling his way out on the Jedi network. For quite some time now they all were coordinated, reacting off the information they all sent through the Force. Obi-Wan had never heard of any such thing taking place in a battle before – it was as if the Jedi were all connected by a hive mind.

As he searched through the link of all the Jedi, Obi-Wan noticed that somehow, the idea of it was beyond him, Anakin had the Republic forces in the network. They were reacting slower than the rest of the Jedi, but were definitely receiving something through the Force.

Focusing on Anakin, he could feel the boy starting to bend under the intense amount of pressure it took to maintain the connection. He tried to send Anakin a message of calm and support, but for some reason could not reach him.

_He must be too deep in concentration or something. Odd_.

Obi-Wan pushed harder towards Anakin.

And, in a shock through the Force that almost knocked the breath out of Obi-Wan, the Force connection disappeared.

He coughed a couple times and tried to get his breath back. Mace looked at him, surprise on his face.

So he felt it too.

Instantly Obi-Wan tried to find Anakin through the Force. There was no trace of his former Padawan.

_Oh sithspawn, no…he can't have…_Obi-Wan thought in panic. _No…_

Just as Obi-Wan was about to ask one of Tarkin's crew if Anakin's starfighter was intact he got another jolt from the Force. This time it was pure, unadulterated anger. Hatred seethed through Obi-Wan, amplified by fear. It hit him so hard he felt as though he'd been run over by the assault cruiser he was on.

"ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan screamed on instinct, unaware of his surroundings. Mace looked at him sharply, his face growing concerned. Obi-Wan did not know how to explain what he felt. He only knew something just went hideously wrong with Anakin.

* * *

General Hill watched as his fighters descended on the Republic assault ships. He knew that if he could feel the Force, he would be sensing the fear and panic coming from the Republic right now. The thought made him smile. Today was going rather well; despite a few rough starts the end would be very nice indeed. Before him a hologram of the officer leading the attack on Kashyyyk flickered.

"Major, make sure the clones focus all their power on taking out the weapons of those assault ships. We don't want them to disable another one."

Hill paused.

"Also, fire your ion cannon at them."

"Yes sir." The major's hologram flickered out of existence.

Hill turned his attention to the other hologram in the center of the room, displaying the progress of the battle.

The main battle between the starfighters moved from above Kashyyyk to between the two large opposing ships. Glancing down at the display, he noticed that his many blue dots far outnumbered the red Republic dots. He smiled again. Hill glanced around the bridge, tapping his foot. It might be just about time for another surprise.

Hailing Nute Gunray, his voice crackled with anticipation, "Viceroy, please contact the Trandoshans. It is now time for them to enter the battle."

* * *

Obi-Wan paced the bridge of the _Nova_. Thousands of thoughts ran around his brain, threatening to make him go crazy. He pulled all he could from the Force but his mind would not be calmed.

Anakin.

Darkness.

Every single implication of what losing the battle might mean went through Obi-Wan's head. But backburner to that was what had happened to Anakin. He forced himself not to dwell on the question. Even still, he was greatly worried. He knew Anakin was not dead, but something serious had taken over the boy.

Obi-Wan sighed and forced his attention back to the battle before him.

Just then a flood of urgent activity hit him through the Force. He turned to Mace, who looked at him with his eyebrows raised.

"Did you feel that?" Obi-Wan asked, feeling stupid as soon as the words left his mouth. It was obvious Mace felt it too.

Mace nodded, not using words to reply. The other Master sank into the Force. He spoke in a minute.

"Trandoshans. They're coming straight for us. I don't know how many–"

"BRACE FOR ION BLAST!" one of the crew screamed from below on the bridge, cutting Mace off. "Ion blast coming in!"

"Blazes," Obi-Wan muttered. This just kept getting better and better by the second. He summoned the Force to keep him steady and next to him he could feel Mace doing the same.

In a burst of energy, the ion blast hit the ship dead on. Electrical hisses and pops emitted from every part of the ship. From one corner of the bridge, someone screamed. Under other circumstances Obi-Wan would have used the Force to calm the person, but there was no time for that now.

Just as soon as he had his bearings back another ion shot hit them.

"Sithspawn," Obi-Wan exclaimed under his breath.

Mace heard Obi-Wan curse again, but overlooked it. He himself was dangerously close to cursing – or worse.

"Captain, what is our situation?" Mace called out.

"We have no weapons, we have no navigation. All our electrical systems are incapacitated. We're sitting womp rats," Tarkin answered with a slight hint of terror in his voice. He was visibly trying to control his emotions.

"There are more fighters coming for us," Mace informed matter-of-factly.

Tarkin stared at him, his jaw dropping. "How can that be…there's no sign…"

"Sir! Look!" Another member of the crew stood and pointed out the transparisteel.

Sure enough, hundreds of tiny little ships were coming from the neighboring planet. Obi-Wan knew that the Trandoshans and the Wookiees had no great love for each other. More than one Jedi had gone on mission to the two systems to resolve disputes. It made sense for the Separatists to buy out the Trandoshans on the promise of defeating the Wookiees.

Mace and Obi-Wan stared at each other. They both knew what the other was thinking, but was unsure of how to put it into words. They both knew there was no way they could fight off this new threat.

Heavily, Mace sighed and turned to Tarkin. "Captain Tarkin, get us out of here as fast as you can. There is no way we can win this battle now."

His voice echoed hollowly throughout the bridge. There was no need for Tarkin to repeat the order. Everyone on the bridge heard it. They all stared at the dark Jedi Master.

He was their savior. He was a Jedi.

He should be able to do anything, win anything, no matter the odds.

Standing behind Mace, Obi-Wan turned away from the scene, his emotions threatening to overcome him. Already on the ground of Kashyyyk, he could feel the fright of the Wookiees that were beginning to face the Separatist forces. During the whole battle, the surface of the planet had been under siege, taking hits from enemy fighters. Reaching out to the Force, Obi-Wan tried to find some solace to the battle.

There was none to be had.

The Jedi had failed. It was that simple. The people of the Republic would no longer trust them – and that trust was already waning.

Amidst all the confusion of the battle, Obi-Wan could find only one explanation: there was someone inside the Republic, close to those high in power, that knew what they intended to do in terms of this defense. Obi-Wan watched as Tarkin's men prepared to retreat, and he vowed to bring down the person betraying the Republic: no matter the cost.

"Captain, relay a message as soon as possible to all Republic fighters to come straight back to their docking bays. Those that have temporary hyperdrive abilities must jump to a rendezvous point. We must get out of here as fast as we can. Get our communications and navigation systems online as soon as possible."

Tarkin nodded in agreement. Part of him wanted to argue with the Jedi, just to prove them wrong, that they could stay and fight this battle. Kashyyyk was not entirely lost.

But the other half of him, the rational half, knew that the Jedi were right. They had no chance of staving off these fresh troops, and simple starfighters might not be all the Trandoshans were prepared to launch.

He looked out over his bridge, his crew already moving to fulfill the Jedi's orders. Taking a heavy sigh, Tarkin knew this day would change the Republic forever. However, he knew that while the Jedi might not be able to save it, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine would.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Despite a warning screech from R4, Anakin spun his starfighter into a tight triple-loop. He jerked the controls and made the ship come out of the spin harshly. His targets sensors locked onto the other fighter ahead of him and without thinking he fired all his laser cannons at it. The craft exploded in a burst of flame.

With deadly precision, Anakin turned sharply to the right and another fighter came into his sights. Instinctively he fired at it.

It too exploded into oblivion.

Anakin no longer looked at his display consol for the distinction of red blips or blue ones. The Force guided him to the enemies. And there were only enemies out there before him.

His forehead knotted into a scowl of concentration. The only thing driving him forward was his anger. Everyone out here was an enemy to the Republic. They all had to pay before they could commit more atrocious crimes.

Slavery would not be tolerated.

If the Jedi were not strong enough to prevent it from happening, then he would do it himself. He no longer needed the Jedi.

The Force flowed through Anakin, boosting his every sense in a way he had never known. His control and power were unmatched. His anger gave him the focus to make impossible attacks against the enemy without getting himself killed. He did not even have to try to figure out what the enemy would do when he came up behind them.

Anakin flew up behind another ship, this time deciding to toy with the pilot some. He flew beside the craft, shooting ahead and then dropping behind it. He could feel the confusion of the pilot. Locking onto that confusion to boost his power, Anakin suddenly killed the engines to his fighter and fell in behind the enemy. With deadly accuracy he aimed at the fighter in front of him, and within seconds it was no more. One last blast of surprise and betrayal from the pilot hit Anakin through the Force. He paid it no mind.

They were all enemies.

Even the Jedi.

Flying on, he searched for his next victim. The Force guided him to them with ease. To Anakin, it was clear cut. Anyone who would not fight for the security of Kashyyyk was an enemy. That meant if Republic forces would not defend it, then they were on the side of the Separatists. The power of the Force made that perfectly clear.

Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Anakin knew that if the Masters ever found out what he did out here, he would be banished from the Order. That was why he had to make his kills so swiftly, so they would not find out. Granted, he had only killed a couple Jedi; the Republic was so outnumbered that most anything he shot at was likely to be a clone.

For now, though, he focused on taking out the enemy. That meant another Jedi had to be dispatched. The other pilot tried to hail Anakin on his comlink, but Anakin ignored it.

Then the Jedi tried to reach him through the Force. Anakin could feel his shock as the other sensed the darkness radiating from him.

This Jedi knew his secret.

Since the other Jedi had been willing to fight with Anakin against the clones, which was obvious since he tried to contact Anakin, he might have spared him. But when the pilot found out the truth behind what drove him, Anakin knew that his survival depended on this Jedi not living to tell the truth to the Masters.

In a daring move, Anakin pulled his starfighter up above the other Jedi. Just at that moment, one of the clones came up behind both of them, firing at them. Anakin reached out through the Force and found the clone's weakness. No longer able to control himself, the clone fired his proton torpedoes – straight at the Jedi below Anakin. He took control of the torpedoes with the Force and drove them straight at the Jedi pilot. They hurtled towards the fighter faster than they could have gone under their own power.

"Jedi Pilot, this is Green Two, why haven't you responded? Are your communications systems out?"

The torpedoes were just about to hit the fighter.

"Help me! I have torpedoes coming for me –"

The Jedi let out a strangled scream as his craft blew apart.

That scream hit Anakin so loud he thought his eardrums would burst. It came from his own lungs; he could feel the sound stop as the Jedi ceased to exist. But it was more than that, the death of the Jedi echoed in the Force with such a sense of betrayal that it rocked Anakin.

The Force ripped through him, and then just as soon as it came, the Force dropped away from Anakin for the second time that battle. His eyes suddenly saw the world as it truly was, not the red soaked vision of anger. He stared out of his cockpit. The remains of the fighter belonging to his fellow Jedi floated before his eyes.

The Jedi he killed.

"Oh, what in the blazes have I done?" Anakin wailed; anguish overcoming him as he realized what he did. His entire body shook uncontrollably. "What have I done? What have I done?"

The words echoed hollowly in his cockpit.

_I've killed a Jedi. A Jedi. One of my family. I killed one of my family_. The thought raced through Anakin's head, only to have him realize that this was not the only Jedi he slain here.

"Republic craft, retreat immediately. Repeat: all Republic craft, retreat immediately." Mace's voice came over the comsystem.

R4 beeped a question at Anakin.

"I….I don't know…do whatever he says…you take it from here, R4…" Anakin stuttered.

He was unable to make a decision right now. In fact, retreating sounded good to him. He knew he had to get away from this place. Immediately.

The Jedi craft turned around under R4's control. Anakin powered down all the communications systems on board, he did not want to talk to any Jedi. He did not know what he would say, what he could say. There was no excuse for his actions and he knew it.

As the small fighter flew back to the assault ship, Anakin broke down. Tears started streaming from his eyes as he thought about all the people he killed in cold blood – the scream of that last Jedi echoing in his mind. Something was very wrong with him, if he could loose control like that.

The Force had betrayed him.

* * *

The smile on General Hill's face grew. The holodisplay showed the Republic forces scrambling to fend off the new attack from the Trandoshans. Turning to his left, he gazed out the transparisteel.

Down below he could see the shipyards busy at work, repairing damaged Star Destroyers. In the distance, a new one was under the beginning stages of construction.

"Captain."

"Yes sir?"

"The time has come. Bring our fleet out from under the cloaking devices."

"Yes, sir."

Hill wished he could have been down on the surface of the planet. What he would have given to see the looks on the faces of the people as they realized most of the Separatist fleet was orbiting their home.

"Captain, begin the attack."

The captain's response was quite enthusiastic – even Hill could not help but feel excited. They all were ready to see the Republic fall under this final blow. After all, no navy could sustain itself if it main production yards were destroyed. Ultimately, Hill hoped to demolish the shipyards beyond repair, but he would be satisfied with crippling the Republic feet just enough to ensure a Separatist victory.

Hill watched as the attack began; the system's defenses were completely unorganized. The Republic had been caught completely off guard. Patiently he made himself wait to give his final order to the crew out at Kashyyyk. He wanted to give the Republic enough time to realize they were under attack elsewhere.

Satisfied that the proper moment had come, Hill hailed the Major in charge of Kashyyyk assault.

"Major Peran, activate the gravity well generators."

"Understood, sir," the Major answered.

* * *

"Most starfighters have docked," Tarkin turned to the Jedi. "Shall we depart?"

"Yes, immediately," Mace told him.

Tarkin turned back to his crew, and belayed the order to the pilot. Deep within the ship, Obi-Wan could feel the hyperdrives begin to power up. The pilot increased the power to the drives, any second now they would make the jump to hyperspace.

And nothing happened.

"Sir!" the pilot called out, panicked. "We can't make the jump!"

"What?"

"There's something preventing us from jumping into hyperspace!"

Tarkin looked around the bridge, searching for some answer. He glanced at the Jedi, who merely shrugged their shoulders at him.

"Wait…" Obi-Wan muttered, thinking back to what Organa told him about the seemingly fake ships. "Commander Tarkin, what's the reading of the gravity levels in the local area?"

Silence ensued as one of the crew took the reading. "Sir, according to the computer, there are more planets out there."

"That can't be possible." Tarkin stepped over to the man's computer station, wanting to see the readouts for himself. The blood drained from his face.

"Those gravity wells weren't merely to fool us into thinking they were Separatist ships," Obi-Wan cut in. "They figured out how to make a gravity well strong enough to keep us from jumping to hyperspace."

"That's impossble."

Obi-Wan shrugged. "It doesn't seem that way, unless you have a better explanation of our situation."

Tarkin's eyes narrowed. "Since you seem to know so much about this, Master Kenobi, perhaps you have a solution to get us out."

"Unfortunately, I don't. We're stuck."

For a second Tarkin glared at Obi-Wan then let out a heavy sigh and turned back to his crew.

"Sir! We have a transmission coming in from Kuat!"

Tarkin mumbled something akin to a curse. "What is it?"

"They're under attack and requesting immediate backup!"

"_What_?"

Everyone on the bridge stared at the young man stationed at the communications terminal.

"So that was the full deception," Mace breathed. "And now we're trapped."

Mace never spoke so plainly in his life. Any other words could not have fully explained the situation.

* * *

The rest of the battle was simple: it was merely cleanup work for the Separatists. General Hill delivered the victory he promised to Lord Sidious. The Wookiees faced a full-scale invasion and with it, slavery. The shipyards at Kuat were ruined – all ships under construction were destroyed.

Coruscant dispatched what it could of the rest of the Republic fleet to defend Kuat, but they arrived too late to be of any aide. At Kashyyyk, the Jedi could only watch as troop transport after troop transport flew to the surface of the planet.

Finally, after a miserable time watching the invasion continue the Jedi pulled out of the Kashyyyk system. On Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine managed to arrange a truce with the Separatist leaders – they wanted to keep their prize of two assault cruisers packed with Jedi.

Despite the fact that the Jedi failed, Palaptine said, he would not abandon them the way they abandoned the Republic.

These words infuriated the Jedi. They infuriated the people of the Republic.

Both were now set against each other.


	17. Chapter 17

17

The whole trip back to Coruscant, Anakin sat in his starfighter. He made no attempt to get out. He knew that if he left the small craft, Obi-Wan would find him…

And then…

Anakin sighed. He had no idea how to explain to his former mentor what happened to him. Obi-Wan felt the anger, felt the dark side coursing through him, for sure. There was no way that he would not have. Reason told Anakin that he most likely would not be expelled from the Order right away, but the disciplinary actions that would be taken against him would not be kind. Maybe he would even be stripped of his all-too-recently gained Knighthood.

Shortly after the assault ship entered hyperspace, Anakin leaned forward in his cockpit and put his face in his hands. Even thinking about being back at the Temple, surrounded by Jedi, brought tears to his eyes.

Never in his dreams did he think he could kill a Jedi.

A dark one, perhaps…but not…

For a few minutes he sat there and cried, unable to even finish the thought to its logical conclusion.

_It's all the Jedi's fault…it's their fault…_ a voice whispered Palpatine's words in the back of his mind.

_No, it's my fault. I killed them_.

_But you liked it. You wanted to do it_, the other part of himself said.

_No_.

Anakin groaned frustration and hit his fist against the console. A metal switch jutting out of it jabbed him painfully as he did so, catching him off guard.

"Ouch!" Anakin rubbed the side of his hand against his leg to soothe the pain. He stopped when he realized he almost let his anger get the best of him again.

"What is wrong with me?" he asked to no one in particular. "What in the blazes is wrong with me?"

He leaned forward again, putting his hands on the side of his head.

Just then, he felt someone else enter the hangar bay. It was Obi-Wan searching for him. Anakin sank into his seat, and using the Force, he tried to hide himself. Obi-Wan scanned the hangar another second then decided that either Anakin was not there, or that it was not the best of times to talk to him, so he turned and left the hangar bay.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Anakin decided that it was best if he sank into hibernation. The Masters would still be able to feel him, but they would leave him alone. Plus, a hibernation trance would put all the thoughts threatening to make him crazy at bay. There would be peace, even if it was temporary.

Anakin leaned out and sank into the Force. He let it flow through every part of him, relaxing his body. Within a few minutes, he faded from consciousness, carried away by the Force. His breathing slowed and he hardly appeared alive to the untrained eye.

However, it was not as peaceful as he thought it would be. Jedi usually do not sense anything while hibernating, but Anakin sensed much.

He could feel Master Yoda, meditating back at the Temple. What he pondered, Anakin could not say. However, brushing the wise old Master made Anakin feel more at peace. Perhaps Yoda knew he was troubled.

The Force nudged him in another direction, and suddenly he was surrounded by the youthful innocence of younglings. They were most always happy; every time Anakin encountered them he left with a smile on his face. Maybe, one day soon, he would help the Masters in instructing the younglings. Anakin thought he would like that very much – to help give them such a great opportunity that he himself almost did not have.

As he drifted through the Force with them, he found their joy infectious. In his trance, he smiled.

Yes, there was always peace in the Force.

Anakin floated out of the Temple, leaving the younglings behind. He could feel himself going in Padmé's direction. Even from this far away, her light in the Force shone like a beacon to him. It was his place of comfort in the waking world.

Something nagged at him and he turned back to the Temple.

Usually, in a Jedi hibernation trance, Jedi do not feel anything. A vision is even rarer. Yet when Anakin went back to the Temple, it was very much a vision.

Smoke billowed from the Temple. All but one of the five tall spires on the top had been knocked down. In fact, it was this sole spire that allowed Anakin to regonize it as the Temple. The whole construction had come down on itself.

Death. Fright. Betrayal.

All radiated from the Temple. There was no anger from any of the Jedi, however.

Except from one Jedi.

Himself.

Anakin's eyes flew open and he gasped for breath. There was no way…he couldn't possibly… He was a good person.

A good Jedi.

_Except when you decided to kill them all,_ the dark part of him thought.

The memory of what he did during the battle came back, and it was too much for him. In an instant he decided he needed to go somewhere – anywhere but here with Jedi around him.

He powered up the craft, and spoke to R4.

"R4…where are we?"

The droid blipped back at him as if to say "How should I know?" Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Well, ask the main ship computer."

R4 beeped in response, as if that were the obvious solution and he would have done it anyway.

"Right…" Anakin trailed off. He shook his head.

Using the starfighter's communications system, R4 locked onto the navicomp of the assault ship. He beeped a few times at Anakin.

"Coruscant…good. We're leaving," Anakin responded solidly. He needed no more persuasion, so he buckled his harness.

R4 let out a screech.

"Don't you worry about how we'll get out of here. Leave that to me."

R4 whined.

Anakin ignored the droid.

Through the Force, he found the controls for the hangar bay door. Delicately, he focused on their controls, and triggered them so that the doors would open. Next he centered on the shield in the area, and put it out of commission. At least he did no actual damage to the Republic ship. Anakin figured that given his actions in the past day it was good thing.

Without further delay, Anakin powered up the starfighter's repulsorlifts and left the hangar bay. He flew down to Coruscant, flying in the direction that would take him to Padmé's the fastest.

* * *

On the way back to Coruscant, Mace and Obi-Wan hardly spoke. There was nothing to say. The Jedi lost the battle. They both knew they did all they could, they had been hideously outnumbered. Not even the most powerful Jedi could have beaten the Separatists under those conditions.

If Captain Tarkin was any clue to how the rest of the Republic would act, it was not a good sign. The whole return trip he said nothing to the Jedi. They could sense that he thought they did not do all they could. In his hands, he believed, he would have been able to save the outcome and have given the Republic a victory.

Obi-Wan took a ragged breath and tried not to dwell on it. As he did so, he felt Anakin. So far, he had not seen the boy anywhere. He even checked the hangar bay, where his starfighter was, but there was no sign of him.

"Sir!" one of the crew called out. "There's a starfighter, it's leaving!"

"What?" Tarkin turned to the man.

"One of the Jedi starfighters, sir. It's left the ship!"

Tarkin looked back to the Jedi. Mace stared at Obi-Wan, who shrugged. He offered no explanation. Tarkin had no need for one, and Mace already knew.

Anakin had left, terribly confused and in a lot of pain.

* * *

Anakin flew through Coruscant, intentionally taking a route that would keep him away from the Temple as much as possible. As he got close to Padmé's though, it was impossible. From her apartment, it was visible with a little bit of squinting.

To his relief, it was not in shambles. The Temple stood strong, all five spires still reaching high into the Coruscant atmosphere.

Letting out the breath he had been holding, he piloted the craft down and landed it. After turning off the power, he leaned forward and put his head in his hands. Sluggishly, he got out of the fighter.

Padmé was here. She could help.

Up at her door, he knocked lightly a couple times. At first there was no answer, and a tremor of panic went through Anakin. If she was not there, he had no idea what he would do.

He knocked again. This time she answered.

"Anakin?" Padmé asked in disbelief. Then realizing that he was in fact there, she exclaimed "Anakin!"

Padmé ran over to him, and grabbed him in a tight hug, squeezing him so that he could barely breathe. He pressed her as close to him as he could, her warmth flooding him. Taking a deep breath he pressed his eyes shut and tried to banish thoughts of the Jedi from his mind.

"I was so worried about you – the attack – it's all over the holonets – blast! I'm so glad you're here, I can't believe you're here!" she stammered, giving him another bone crushing squeeze.

"Shh, shh. I'm here. I…could be a lot better but I'm here."

"What are you talking about?"

He only shook his head. When she realized he wasn't going to answer she leaned her head against his chest. Without understanding how, she knew that something _had _gone very wrong but she knew better than to force it out of him.

"I don't ever want to leave you," he said suddenly. "This is the only place I have left. You're the only person I have."

"What? Don't be silly," she replied, her voice smothered against his chest.

"I'm serious."

"Anakin…" she trailed off, pulling away from him slightly.

"Please. Don't leave me," he said, his voice cracking.

At the same time he pulled her back to him. Unsure of him, she rested uneasily against him. As he held her, he felt everything welling up.

"I panicked during the battle. I completely lost control – I don't even know how it happened. I killed Jedi, Padmé. _Jedi_."

With the last word he broke down completely. Standing there in her doorway, with her in his arms, he began to sob. Anakin leaned his head down, resting his cheek against the side of her head.

Anakin gushed, "I was just flying around, and then suddenly everything went wrong. I don't even really remember how it happened, just that when I blew this one Jedi to bits I finally snapped out of it and I realized what I was doing. Something's wrong with me, Padmé. Something's really wrong."

Not sure of what to do, Padmé tried to pull him closer. She rested her forehead on his chest and out of instinct gave him a couple kisses there. Earlier that afternoon, she felt that something bad had happened to Anakin. She couldn't explain how, she was not sensitive to the Force, but nonetheless she knew it.

Now that he was here, she had no idea how to help him.

"I killed part of my family," he muttered again. His eyes were wide and raw, staring into the distance at something he saw in his memory.

Padmé glanced up at him, an idea coming to her.

"You should talk to Obi-Wan. I'm sure he'd help you."

Anakin shook his head. "No. I can't go to him."

"Why not?"

"He wouldn't understand. He would only lecture me."

"He can help you…he knows more about the Force than I do, and he cares about you," she countered.

"Don't you lecture me too." Anakin glanced down at her, his brows furrowed and his jaw set.

"I'm not lecturing you. I'm _worried_ about you." Padmé pulled back from him a little bit, to look him in the eye. "You've been more and more troubled, I can tell something's eating at you. And it all started when you got back from Tatooine."

Anakin's eyes narrowed, and without realizing it one of his hands tightened his grip on her arm.

"I'm worried about you, Anakin," she said again. "I only want to help you."

She made no acknowledgement of the fact that he was now squeezing her arm rather tightly, instead steadily looking him in the eye. As he took in her words, Padmé noticed his features soften and felt his body relax.

"I only want you to be happy," she whispered.

"Then let me just be with you."

Putting his hand on the back of her neck, Anakin leaned down and kissed her. After a second, when she broke it off, he kissed her again.

"Being with you is the only peace I have. Please don't take that away from me," he whispered to her.

Pamdé looked at him.

His eyes were still red and puffy from crying, but somehow they looked innocent again, not full of the anger of a few minutes ago. Tracks from where his tears fell down his face were visible. She could feel the confusion and fear coming from him; it was enough to make her heart feel as though it were breaking.

As she stood there he looked into her eyes, his blue ones searching hers.

Something about that look carried her away. Without thinking she kissed him, harder than she ever had before.

For a second, Anakin was caught completely off guard by Padmé's kiss. As she pressed herself against him, though, he was swept away by her. He wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could, and moved to step inside her apartment. After he successfully navigated the doorway for the both of them, he used the Force to shut the door. He did not want to take one arm away from her for a second.

Even just a few minutes of being with Padmé made Anakin's troubles disappear. With her, he was able to push the image of the burning Temple out of his mind. The thought that he killed Jedi in anger was something he could deal with later.

Everything could be dealt with later.

All that mattered was being with Padmé.

As he kissed her again, he felt the Force surge through him. This time it went through him stronger than any other time when he was with Padmé. Tonight every part of him was attuned to her, nothing could break it.

Tonight there would be no holding back for him.


	18. Chapter 18

18

"All that could have been done, you did," Yoda said with a heavy sigh.

He looked up at Mace and Obi-Wan, blinking.

Mace stared out across Coruscant, unable to meet the other Master's eyes. In the hours since their return to Coruscant, he had said hardly two words.

"Master Yoda, we failed," Obi-Wan said. "We failed the Order, and we failed the Republic."

Yoda lowered his head in resignation. Even he could not deny the truth of Obi-Wan's statement. "Dark times have we fallen into. Lost many Jedi we have, trust us the Republic does not."

"The darkness is out there," Mace suddenly muttered prophetically. Crossing his arms over his chest he looked to Obi-Wan. "If there ever was a time to have faith in the Prophecy, now is that time. Anakin Skywalker is the one that can restore the balance, bring peace back to the galaxy and ensure the stability of the Order and the Republic."

Somewhere, out there on Coruscant, he could feel Anakin in a lot of confusion.

He hoped the boy's troubles could be resolved before it was too late for all of them. Most of all, he wished that Anakin had returned t the Temple instead of fleeing to wherever he did. Obi-Wan knew all too well the powers of meditation and reflection through the Force.

Obi-Wan merely nodded in return, wishing he could believe in Mace's words. Troubled, he put his hand over his mouth, thinking.

If there ever was a time to believe in the Prophecy, that time was now.

* * *

Not too far from the Jedi Temple, Chancellor Palpatine sat in his chambers. Already the reports were coming in regarding the damages done to Kashyyyk and most importantly, Kuat.

Palpatine sighed. War was upon the Republic.

Again.

For about six months they rested at peace with the Separatists, allowing them their corner of the galaxy. If these systems were determined to break off from the Republic, Palpatine was about ready to let them. After all, eventually they would pay. Peace would be restored to the galaxy.

He would not leave office until that was achieved.

Most regrettable, however, was the loss of the Jedi. Palpatine knew all too well what the results of this battle meant. Already, anti-Jedi propaganda flooded the holonets. People were asking questions about how the mighty Jedi, who could do anything, could allow part of the Republic to fall and be subjected to certain slavery. Palpatine knew it would take something almost like a miracle to save the Jedi.

That miracle was Anakin Skywalker.

Though some of the Jedi Council believed it was a mistake to train Anakin, something about his age being too old for Jedi training, Palpatine disagreed. The boy was powerful. Young Skywalker was unlike anything he had ever encountered in a Jedi.

If he weren't trained to be a Jedi, Anakin would have made a wonderful leader anywhere in the galaxy. He was young, even good looking. Not only that, but he was powerful, able to control himself. Despite his relatively young age, just barely over twenty standard years, Anakin carried himself like a man nearly twice that age. He was enthusiastic, eager to lead and to learn, and he was just barely a Knight.

It would be amazing to see Anakin as a Master, for sure.

Tonight, though, the young Jedi was in a terrible state. Confusion, anger and fear came off him in great waves. Darth Sidious could feel the boy's doubt of the Jedi building – even his own self doubt.

Pulling back from the Force, Sidious could feel the worry radiating from the Jedi Temple. It was unusual for them to worry like this. Sidious relished in it, his hands tightening on the arms of his chair.

Darth Sidious watched the citizens of Coruscant go about their business. His chair, in a lone room in a high building, allowed him a grand view of the planet.

Little did the Jedi know he was so close. If he glanced just so, he could make out the five spires crowning the Jedi Temple.

Watching Coruscant, Sidious's thoughts turned to the battle. General Hill did a wonderful job. The plan worked as it was supposed to. There was the added bonus of the wonderful labor value of the Wookiees, but the main outcome he hoped for came true: the Jedi would be terribly crippled as the news of the loss broke to the Republic.

And Anakin Skywalker, the single hope of the Jedi, was on a very fine edge.

Darth Sidious smiled to himself.

Everything was working out to his design.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you very much for reading this fic. I hope that you enjoyed it. :) To everyone that left comments, I thank you again. I'll start posting the sequel within a week or two, which continues the story with higher stakes: Anakin continues to slide to the Dark Side, Padme is pregnant and Jedi are disappearing all across the galaxy. So keep an eye out for _The Dark New Order_!  



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